Photo for illustration (Source: baodautu.vn)
Under a project to develop the fruit and vegetable process sector during 2021-2030 recently approved by the Prime Minister, Vietnam targets to attract investment in 50-60 fruit and vegetable processing establishments, and build several modern groups and enterprises who have good competitive capacity.
With a view to achieving the goals, Vietnam will invest heavily to improve processing ability, give priority to processing key fruits and vegetables which have high values, set up material zones, and develop markets for the products.
The project laid stress on the necessity to build processing and packaging facilities and storage warehouses and install suitable equipment to reduce post-harvest losses.
Besides, it is crucial to attract investment to ensure that all of the production facilities will be well equipped with necessary machines by 2030.
Along with encouraging businesses to invest in food irradiation centres at large-scale fruit and vegetable farming areas so that their products meet international standards, the country will promote intensive processing and diversify processed products.
Additionally, the country will establish specialised fruit and vegetable cultivating areas which are able to provide some 5-6 million tonnes of high-quality products for processing by 2030.
Vietnam listed among 10 largest suppliers of wooden furniture in French market
Vietnam has become the 10th largest supplier of wooden furniture to the French market when the country moves to increase to import this product, the Voice of Vietnam quoted the data released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Photo for illustration (Source: NDO)
These statistics show that the European country imported 1.08 million tonnes of wooden furniture worth a total of US$3.75 billion last year, posting a decline of 6.8% in volume and 6.9% in value compared to figures recorded in 2019.
According to the Italian Centre for Industrial Studies, France represents an important part of the furniture sector both in Europe and globally, making up the second largest import market in Europe.
Most notably, France has always been a key Vietnamese trading partner within the EU, with the country making up the Southeast Asian nation’s fourth largest export market in the bloc.
Furthermore, the nation is the 10th largest supplier of wooden furniture to the French market, accounting for only 3.2% of the total import volume, a relatively low figure in comparison to import demand within the fastidious market.
Trade experts have therefore advised Vietnamese firms to seize upon the various opportunities brought about by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in order to boost their export of furniture products to the French market in an effective manner.
At present, China remains the largest supplier of living room and dining room furniture to France, followed by Poland, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Vietnam.
With the country being the fifth largest supplier of wood frame chairs to France, it is trailed by China, Italy, Romania, and Poland. However, the import volume and value of Vietnamese wooden framed chairs endured a downward trajectory last year.
Vietnam conducts COVID-19 vaccination in 19 localities
Vietnam has conducted the COVID-19 vaccination in 19 cities and provinces nationwide, with close to 40,000 Vietnamese citizens getting the first jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Voice of Vietnam quoted the information of the Ministry of Health released on March 25 morning.
Photo for illustration (Source: CPV)
Vaccinated people are primarily frontline medical workers, and members of community-based anti-COVID-19 groups and steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control.
As many as 1,906 people got the vaccine shots on March 24, according to the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation.
The northern province of Quang Ninh and the southern provinces of Tay Ninh and Dong Thap are set to carry out the injection this week.
Vietnam is expected to acquire 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from foreign and domestic sources by 2022. In addition to the deal with AstraZeneca, the nation is also accelerating negotiations with US vaccine producers Pfizer and Moderna, along with others from Russia and China.
By far the nation documented no fresh cases of COVID-19, leaving the national infection tally unchanged at 2,576, including 1,601 domestically-transmitted cases, and 975 imported ones.
One day earlier, a further 19 coronavirus patients have been release from hospital after making a successful recovery from the virus, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,265, while the death toll remained at 35.
A total of 120 COVID-19 patients have tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2-virus at least one, while as many as 29,762 people are put in quarantine nationwide as part of the country’s coronavirus control and prevention measures.
The nation has gone the 7th consecutive day without recording any more cases of local transmission, with ten localities having no fresh domestic infections to report for 40 days.
The Ministry of Health has dispatched working groups to Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Tay Ninh to supervise pandemic prevention and control, and the vaccination work there./.