Australian peaches will soon be available in Vietnam. (Photo: abc.net.au)
"Vietnam is a priority market for our premium produce and pleased that the completion of technical negotiations will mean our peaches and nectarines will be able to access this valuable market," he said.
Summerfruit Export Development Alliance Chairman Ian McAlister said the reopening of the Vietnamese market was a good development for the industry.
He emphasised that with the right promotion, the Vietnamese market could be a significant destination for Australia.
According to McAlister, the Australian and Vietnamese governments have completed the signing of the necessary protocols for the trial export of nectarines and peaches.
The first shipment of these fruits will be delivered to Vietnam in March and April, paving the way for a larger volume to arrive in early December.
McAlister also expressed his hope that Australia will soon be able to export plums to Vietnam.
Can Tho-Con Dao speedboat service reopens after 9 months
The Mai Linh Express high-speed boat on February 19 carried 339 passengers on its first Can Tho – Con Dao trip after a 9-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 epidemic, reported VNA.
The Mai Linh Express high-speed boat departs from Can Tho to Con Dao on February 19. (Photo: VNA)
A representative of the Mai Linh Tay Do JSC, which runs the service, said the number of passengers means the boat's full capacity. To get onboard, they must have negative COVID-19 test results valid within 72 hours before the departure, fill out health declarations, and follow the 5K message.
In February, Mai Linh Express is scheduled to have eight trips between the Mekong Delta of Can Tho and Con Dao island in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Mai Linh Tay Do is one of the two speedboat operators on the route. The other – Phu Quoc Express Joint Stock Company – has yet to announce its date of resumption.
Cashless payment for restaurant, catering services on the rise
According to VNA, cashless payment has become more popular in all sectors, including restaurant and catering services, according to Winnie Wong, Mastercard’s Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
Speaking at the recent Food and Beverage Conference 2022 in Hanoi, Wong noted that in Southeast Asia, payment for restaurant and catering services in cash fell 60-70 percent due to safety and hygiene reasons.
She said that 2021 was a tough year for catering service sector due to COVID-19 impacts. However, the sector has found the way to adapt to the situation and overcome difficulties, she said, stressing that payment methods of customers have gradually changed.
In order to avoid direct contacts, customers tend to switch to online shopping and cashless payment. Meanwhile, sellers in all scales have also applied digital technologies to enable themselves to conduct online selling and receive cashless payment, meeting the demand of customers and safety requirements amid the complicated development of COVID-19, said Wong.
She commented that before COVID-19 broke out, Vietnam had developed cashless payment in transactions in all sectors, which paved the way for the expansion of the method in the country amid the pandemic.
New technologies have made cashless payment faster and more convenient compared to cash payment. Particularly, payment using QR codes has become more popular, especially in the context of the pandemic, making it easier for both buyers and sellers in conducting transactions.
A recent survey revealed that 72 percent of customers become more loyal to retailers that accept many payment methods, while 85 percent of shoppers wish to pay in their own way and 61 percent said they often avoid sellers that do not accept any e-payment methods.
Cao Bang: Frost covers top of Mount Phja Oac
Thick ice and frost have appeared on the peak of Mount Phja Oac in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang since early February 20, as temperatures dropped to below zero degree Celsius, reported VNA.
A close look at frost on the top of Mount Phja Oac (Photo: VNA)
At a height of 1,930m above sea level, Phja Oac is the roof of Cao Bang. Frost and ice are normal phenomena here in winter.
Also on February 20, the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicted the cold air will continue to affect other parts of the central and south central regions.
From February 20 to February 21, the areas from Quang Binh to Thua Thien-Hue will see rain, showers and thunderstorms, with possible whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and strong winds.
From February 20 to 22, in the North and the north central province of Thanh Hoa, the lowest temperatures are forecast at 8-11 degrees Celsius, even zero degree Celsius in the high mountains with a high possibility of frost and snowfall. Meanwhile, the temperatures of areas from Nghe An province to Thua Thien-Hue province in the central region will be 13-16 degrees Celsius at the lowest.
Exports nosedive in first half of February, trade deficit hits US$4 bln
According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam slipped into a trade deficit of nearly US$4 billion in the first half of February due to a fall in exports.
Garments are among Vietnam's major hard currency earners.
Customs statistics show between February 1-15 businesses shipped goods overseas worth US$8.75 billion, but spent US$12.66 billion on importing major industrial products and raw materials, reported VOV.
Experts attributed the fall in exports to a nine-day lunar New Year holiday during which most of production lines came to a grinding halt.
Now when businesses have resumed operations, imports and exports are likely to increase in the second half of February and the coming months. In addition, the trade balance is also expected to experience the reverse in the coming months.
Overall, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover from January 1 to February 15 reached US$81.68 billion, and the country endured a trade deficit of more than US$2.5 billion.
This year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is set to fully exploit opportunities from free trade agreements (FTAs), develop markets and remove barriers to penetrate new markets.
It will closely monitor the development of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world to take timely response measures. Priority will be given to boosting export promotion activities and focusing on export markets that are strongly recovering from the pandemic.
In addition, it will diversify the structure of export products, improve the competitiveness of the products, and develop brands./.