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Three groups of enterprises will be under pressure once the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) takes effect, according to lawyer Tran Huu Huynh, chair of the Vietnam Arbitration Center.  While the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is believed to bring great opportunities to develop the economy, it will also bring challenges. Upon the TPP, Vietnam will have to cut import tariffs and open the domestic market widely to imports from 11 TPP countries. 

Vietnam's rice exports hit US$445 million in the first two months, twice the number of the same period last year, the agriculture ministry reported on Friday. The strong increase was achieved, even as the average price slipped nearly 6 percent to $443.5 a ton, thanks to a sharp increase in quantity. Rice shipments exceeded one million ton in January and February, the ministry said.

The launch of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is set to open up many business opportunities especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). With a population of more than 600 million across Southeast Asia and growing, the smart move for SMEs is to tap into this wider market access to commercialise their products and boost their revenues and earnings. According to the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, (Asean), Asean economy remains the seven largest in the world and third largest in Asia.

QUANG NAM  (VNS) — Vo Van Vinh, a farmer in Dai Nghia Commune in the central Quang Nam Province's Dai Loc District, can earn VND400 million (US$18,000) from his 10ha farm of acacia every five years. It's quite a good income and easy for him and family in comparison to rice farming or raising livestock. Acacia farms have helped over 293 households in the commune earn a living and provided 40 per cent share of the annual budget.

Australia - When young Victorian farmer William Pattison had the idea for a business selling farmers' produce direct to consumers he got no joy when he approached incubators for financial backing in Australia. So he took his idea to the US where he secured the funding he needed to launch Produce Run from an Iowa-based accelerator. In the year since, he's grown the business to include 30,000 organic and small farmers supplying produce direct to consumers.

A recent study by the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development shows that vegetable consumption in Hanoi is about 2,600 tons per day, or 950,000 tons a year. But the current amount supplied to the city is only 600,000 tons a year, equivalent to only 60 percent of demand. Many housewives said that they were willing to pay high prices for products that are truly safe but it is difficult for them to find “safe” ones. 

Agricultural experts from the Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre at the third edition of Global Forums for Innovations in Agriculture spoke on topics unique to Abu Dhabi such as “hydroponics in the UAE” and ‘the impact of human food habits and behaviour on environmental resources’. Delegates were also treated to a Technical Tour of a farm in Abu Dhabi’s Al Katem area, which contained a number of agricultural innovations, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, and Global GAP Certification, one of 110 farms in Abu Dhabi to achieve the prestigious title.

Many foreign-invested enterprises have successfully developed products made of pure Vietnamese materials. Foreign investors, for example, have poured money into making fish sauce, the traditional staple in Vietnamese cuisine. The fish sauce market has always competitive with manufacturers from Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet, the two most famous fish sauce production areas. In 2002 Unilever entered the market. The multinational group jumped on the bandwagon more than 10 years ago when setting up a 6 million liter per annum fish sauce bottling workshop on Phu Quoc Island. Just after one year of operation, it churned out 7,500 liters of fish sauce which was exported to Australia.

The Robusta price in the past had climbed to as much as VND50 million per ton, which helped many farmers get rich. However, it has tumbled dramatically to below production cost. No organization has forecast a bright future for the coffee industry in 2016. Robusta price has tumbled dramatically to below production cost. No organization has forecast a bright future for the coffee industry this year.

VietNamNet Bridge - Wooden furniture manufacturers enjoy preferences thanks to a zero percent import tariff applied by many big export markets. However, very few enterprises can exploit the advantages. One of the names in the group of businesses that export products under their own name is AA Corporation, which provided interior furniture to 5-star hotels and cruise ships. It is one of a few Vietnamese companies which can provide products under the AA brand to international construction works, including Accor, Sofitel and Ritz Carlton in America, Europe and the Middle East. Wooden furniture manufacturers enjoy preferences thanks to a zero percent import tariff applied by many big export markets. However, very few enterprises can exploit the advantages.

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese exporters should restructure their production to improve profit and enjoy preferential of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), Tran Tuan Anh, deputy minister of Industry and Trade said. Anh said agro-forestry and fishery sector has strengthened and has been one of Viet Nam's key export products.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s mission led by deputy minister Nguyen Cam Tu together with 73 trade counselors and Vietnamese ambassadors visited the super milk plant of Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (Vinamilk) in the southern province of Binh Duong on February 23, on occasion of their business trip to the Southern region. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 23 for Tsutomu Takebe, special advisor to the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, during which he asked for the guest’s further contributions to the two countries’ agricultural cooperation

Over 500 students representing universities across the globe set sail on the MV World Odyssey this January for the Spring 2016 Semester at Sea program. Their floating campus will take them around the world to 15 cities in 11 different countries in just over 100 days. Among these world travelers is Paula Pecorella of Stony Brook University, who will serve as a correspondent for The Statesman this semester.

At the Commercial Counsellor Conference 2016 of Southern Area held in Ho Chi Minh City on 22^nd, February, commercial counselors in other countries have shared their experience, notice to put products into foreign markets.

After Tet Holiday, tuna price suddenly drops, fishermen cannot explain this situation while the authorities cannot intervene. On 22^nd, February, Mr. Nguyen Trung Hieu, Head of Hon Ro Fishing Port Management and South Central fish market (in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa Province) said there are hundreds of tuna vessels at the port these days. The average fish quantity per vessel is 2 tons but fishermen cannot be happy due to low price.