Quang Tri steps up support for businesses

In recent times, Quang Tri Province has actively and effectively implemented trade promotion and supply-demand connection activities. These initiatives have provided opportunities for local businesses, cooperatives, and production facilities to enhance product quality, expand their markets, and secure numerous high-value contracts with partners both within and beyond the region.

In 2024, under the National Trade Promotion Program, in June, the People’s Committee of Quang Tri Province, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, organized the 2024 Quang Tri Trans-Asia Trade and Tourism Fair. The program also included a business-to-business (B2B) trade connection event between suppliers from the North Central region of Vietnam and import-export enterprises and trade promotion organizations.

According to Tran Phi Tuong, Deputy Director of the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Center of Quang Tri Province, this event is one of the most important trade promotion activities in Quang Tri Province and the North Central region in 2024. It aimed to develop domestic and export markets, enhance economic cooperation, strengthen economic development, improve competitiveness, expand markets, and promote the export and import products of Quang Tri Province.

This event also provided an opportunity for localities across the country, provinces, and cities along the East-West Economic Corridor and the Greater Mekong Subregion to showcase their achievements in politics, economics, and socio-culture. It highlighted their potential, advantages, and preferential policies to attract domestic and foreign investors.

The 2024 Quang Tri Trans-Asia Trade and Tourism Fair featured 392 booths representing 214 entities and businesses from various provinces and cities nationwide. The event also saw participation from businesses in Khon Kaen and Nakhon Nayok (Thailand) and Savannakhet, Champasak, Salavan, and Sekong (Laos).

Over seven days, the fair attracted more than 35,000 visitors who came to explore and shop. The total transaction value was estimated to exceed 20 billion VND. More than 70 memorandums of understanding and economic cooperation contracts for distribution and dealership were signed between enterprises.

Additionally, during the B2B program, 53 cooperation memorandums of understanding were signed between businesses. This successful program served as a bridge connecting manufacturers and distributors, supermarket representatives, and retailers, enabling them to share information, explore needs and supply methods, and seek partnerships in production and business activities. In September 2024, the Department of Industry and Trade, in collaboration with Co.opmart Dong Ha Supermarket, organized a program to support the integration of Quang Tri Province’s signature products, One Commune One Product (OCOP), and outstanding rural industrial products into the supermarket system and agricultural stores within the region.

At this event, enterprises and cooperatives displayed and introduced products certified as three-star and four-star OCOP, along with notable rural industrial products. Agreements were reached with partners, resulting in the signing of 40 memorandums of understanding and one product consumption cooperation contract between producers, suppliers, and distributors.

During the program, leaders from the Departments of Industry and Trade and Agriculture and Rural Development provided insights and proposed key solutions for enterprises and cooperatives. These discussions aimed to leverage product potential and value, promote trade, and align trade promotion activities with the goal of sustainable development for signature products, OCOP, and outstanding rural industrial products in the province. This effort also sought to establish sustainable relationships between distribution systems, retail outlets, and production and processing enterprises within the province.

According to Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, over the years, funds from trade promotion, industrial encouragement, and other budgets have been used to support enterprises and cooperatives in technological innovation, market exploration, and brand building for their products. This has helped form supply chains and connect distributors and consumers to ensure stable outputs for local goods.

“The program mentioned above has been an annual activity of the Department of Industry and Trade since 2021, providing a platform for enterprises and cooperatives in the province to showcase and introduce their products, engage directly with partners, and sign cooperation agreements and economic contracts for product supply and consumption,” said Mr. Hung.

These are just two among many trade promotion and supply-demand connection activities organized by provincial departments and units in recent years. Through trade promotion activities and regional linkage efforts, Quang Tri Province has enhanced the trade of its products with other provinces and cities nationwide.

Local enterprises, production facilities, and cooperatives are increasingly recognizing the importance of trade promotion activities. They have become more proactive and confident in participating in trade, connecting supply and demand, and showcasing products at fairs and exhibitions to promote, find partners, and expand markets. Many of the province’s signature and specialty products have gained recognition and are now available in major markets and supermarkets within and beyond the province.

Implementing the province’s annual trade promotion program, the Department of Industry and Trade and the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Center, along with relevant units, have proactively developed and effectively executed plans. In addition to in-province activities, these entities organized delegations of Quang Tri enterprises to participate in trade promotion programs, fairs, and digital technology training sessions in 2024.

Highlights included exhibitions in Ho Chi Minh City and friendly provinces in Savannakhet (Laos) from April 2 to April 7, 2024, as well as fairs such as the East-West Economic Corridor International Trade, Tourism, and Investment Fair in Da Nang, the Hanoi Agricultural Trade and OCOP Products Fair, the Regional Specialties of Vietnam Fair in Hanoi, and the Quintessence of Craft Villages Fair in Ho Chi Minh City.

Using trade promotion and industrial encouragement funds, the Department of Industry and Trade has supported businesses in technological investment, adoption of advanced production equipment, skilled labor training, market exploration, and product brand building.

The department also stays updated on market trends and national trade promotion programs by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, facilitating participation of provincial businesses in trade promotion activities nationwide. It has introduced and implemented trade promotion efforts with provinces, cities, commercial centers, supermarkets, major distributors, and OCOP sales points across the country.

As a result, many enterprises have signed contracts and partnerships, expanding their market reach with distributors. Beyond the provincial trade promotion program, fulfilling commitments with the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the Department of Industry and Trade in 2024 supported local enterprises in joining four major domestic e-commerce platforms: Shopee, Lazada, Voso, and Tiki.

Efforts included the development and implementation of projects to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in joining major e-commerce platforms, providing training, and equipping businesses with tools and skills to effectively manage content, marketing, and promotions on their websites.

This year, the department organized e-commerce supply chains for agricultural products and established links between businesses to optimize costs and reduce the time to bring goods to market.

According to feedback from many businesses, trade promotion activities have helped them secure stable sources of raw materials for production and diversify export markets. These efforts have also facilitated market exploration, connectivity with new partners, and the ability to leverage advantages from free trade agreements, enhancing international market access and integration into global value chains.

Notably, several trade promotion programs by the Department of Industry and Trade, the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Center, and related units have created impactful brands, fostering connectivity among localities.

In addition to supporting local enterprises, these programs have also assisted businesses nationwide in product promotion, competitiveness enhancement, partner connections, and expansion of domestic and export markets.

To enable local enterprises, cooperatives, and production facilities to expand into global markets, Quang Tri Province will continue to effectively utilize traditional trade promotion methods while diversifying and modernizing approaches. The province will emphasize the application of information technology and digital transformation in these activities.

Moreover, the province will focus on raising awareness of the significance of trade promotion activities in enhancing production and business efficiency. This aims to foster active participation from local enterprises and cooperatives in trade promotion initiatives, supply-demand connections, fairs, and exhibitions.

Ha Trang - Ngoc Mai