Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Vietnam has over 100,000 ha of durian with an annual output of about 1.3 million tonnes. However, only 3,000 ha (3%) of the total meet standards for export to China.

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak have the largest durian areas meeting export standards in the country.

According to the Deputy General Director of Dung Thai Son Import-Export Company, Vu Ngoc Huy, China is a large market with a strong durian consumption capacity.

The firm can export 500,000 tonnes of fresh durian per year, accounting for over one-third of the total durian output of the country, Huy said.

Vietnam has over 100,000 ha of durian with an annual output of about 1.3 million tonnes. -Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

La Tran Vinh, Director of Vinh Khang Cooperative in Tien Giang, said the cooperative has worked with farmers in Mekong Delta localities such as Tien Giang, Can Tho, Vinh Long, and Ben Tre, and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to grow a total of over 100 ha of the fruit.

All durian from the localities will be provided for Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Group JSC to export to the Chinese market via the official channel, he said.

After China officially opened its door to durian, Vietnamese farmers have more opportunities to develop this crop, he noted.

To promote the export of the product to this billion-strong market, Hoang Trung, Director of the MARD’s Plant Protection Department, recommended that export enterprises and farmers must regularly update and strictly comply with regulations on quality standards, testing, quarantine, packaging, and traceability of the Chinese market.

China’s customs authorities have approved Vietnam’s 51 farming area codes and 26 packaging facility codes that fully meet the requirements for export to the Chinese market, Trung said.

The MARD has asked authorities of southern localities to improve the quality of the durian value chain, toward meeting standards for exporting the fruit, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said.

Specialised agencies have been tasked with identifying areas where durian can be grown sustainably, while localities have been urged to have policies for boosting the connection between farmers and export enterprises, he added.

VinFast marks presence in West of France

Automaker VinFast, a member of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, officially announced the opening of its VinFast store in Rennes on March 25, marking its presence in the West of France, reported Vietnam News Agency.

A VinFast EV SUV model at the showroom (Source: VinFast)

According to the firm, its next stores in France are expected soon in Montpellier, Aix-En-Provence, and other major cities.

Located in a prime location with many other auto brands, VinFast Rennes is hoped to help VinFast increase its brand presence and quickly reach prospective customers. This is VinFast's first store in the West of France, furthering its expansion rollout in European markets.

VinFast Rennes will focus on showcasing products and in-car smart features while providing one-on-one assistance through professional and well-trained product experts. In addition, the VinFast store will link the brand and its customers, bringing personalised services and peace of mind experiences throughout the electric vehicle ownership journey.

VinFast Rennes combines modern space with design highlights inspired by the beauty of Vietnam's natural wonders. The store will display two electric SUV models, the VF 8 and VF 9. Later, the VF 6 and VF 7 will also be presented here, allowing customers to directly experience VinFast's complete electric vehicle lineup directly. Customers can explore the products at 3 Rue des Mesliers, Rennes.

Before this event, VinFast established its presence in Paris, Cologne, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Oberhausen, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam. VinFast Rennes is VinFast's third store in France. After Rennes, the following stores will open in Montpellier, Aix-En-Provence, and other major cities to expand the retail and service network, building connections and trust with French customers.

Coming up, VinFast will organise large-scale test-drive events in France, Germany, and the Netherlands to approach and convince its consumers with hands-on experiences with VinFast's products and services.

Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

35 Vietnamese students compete at Int’l Robothon 2023

Thirty-five Vietnamese contestants will compete in the Leanbot category as part of the International Robothon 2023 contest due to get underway in Malaysia on March 26, reported the Voice of Vietnam.

35 Vietnamese contestants are ready for Int’l Robothon 2023 in Malaysia. (Photo: Vietnamnet)

This year’s event is expected to draw the participation of 258 contestants from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The contestants will be divided into 101 teams, including 39 Leanbot teams, 44 Lego EV3 teams, and 18 VEX IQ teams.

The 35 Vietnamese contestants will also be arranged into 18 teams and compete in a Leanbot category. Those joining the event are outstanding students that had performed excellently during the national competitions in February in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho.

Most notably, the STEM Robotics toolkit "Leanbot" has been introduced in this year’s event for the first time after it was developed by a team of experts and engineers of DTT Vietnam Technology Joint Stock Company.

The 2023 International Robothon Competition themed "Second Earth", aims to reflect the human desire to explore and master space in celestial bodies other than Earth. Candidates in the competition will be students between the ages of eight and 15.

National inflation for 2023 projected to be between 3.9% - 4.8%

The Ministry of Finance has developed several scenarios to gauge Vietnamese inflation this year, with the ultimate figure likely to be kept at between 3.9% and 4.8%, reported the Voice of Vietnam.

The Ministry of Finance has forecast that inflation for 2023 would be kept at between 3.9% and 4.8%. (Illustralive image)

The scenarios have been developed based on numerous calculations and forecasts of price fluctuations of groups of commodities that make up a large proportion of the consumer price index (CPI) basket of goods, including petroleum, food, electricity, construction materials, education, health care, and rental house rentals.

At a meeting of the national pricing committee held on March 24, the Ministry of Finance acknowledged that the global market has been badly affected by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine military conflict, a tight monetary policy, and rising inflation in many economies.

Amid this context, domestic commodity prices during the first months of the year remained relatively stable. Due to the impact of international prices, the prices of some petroleum products such as petrol, oil, and liquefied gas fluctuated correspondingly, while construction material prices increased in the first quarter.

Vietnam was not among the main countries recording high inflation, with its CPI in February inching up by 4.31% compared to the same period in 2021. However, the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the pressure to increase prices in April and the second quarter remains a possibility amid global uncertainties, particularly as many domestic essential goods heavily rely on world prices. Therefore, it forecast that the country’s inflation for the year would be kept at between 3.9% and 4.8%.

On the other hand, it assumed that if the CPI in the remaining nine months of the year rises at the same rate compared to that seen in the previous months, the average inflation target of 4.5% for the whole year can be achieved.

According to Nguyen Thi Huong, director general of the General Statistics Office (GSO), prices of a range of commodities decreased in the first quarter but remained high compared to the same period from last year.

Amid a high level of uncertainties globally, Huong suggested that relevant agencies strive to keep a tight grip on market fluctuations and produce a suitable roadmap for increasing prices of groups of commodities such as health care, education, and electricity.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai, who is head of the national pricing committee, requested that competent agencies closely monitor the world economy and inflationary pressure, promptly warn of risks that may impact the Vietnamese market and take appropriate response measures in a bid to ensure goods supply and stabilise domestic prices.

“Whatever we do, we must stay ready to take prompt response measures if the worst-case scenario happens, to ensure the market law of supply and demand and stabilize market prices, especially of essential commodities like food, petrol and oil," Deputy PM Khai said.

With regard to the monetary policy, the Deputy PM requested that the State Bank adopt a flexible management policy aimed at helping to control inflation and keep the value of the Vietnamese currency at a reasonable level, so as not to affect production and the business activities of enterprises.

He also requested that relevant ministries and sectors carefully study and evaluate influential factors if they want to hike the prices of electricity, educational services, medical examinations, and treatments, with proposals to be submitted to competent authorities for consideration and adjustments./.