Businesses advised to learn customs, trends to promote exports to Africa

Speaking at the event held by the Export Support Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, Nguyen Minh Phuong, head of the West Asia – Africa Office under the MoIT's Department of Asia – Africa Markets, noted that in addition to large consumers of Halal products in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia or other countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, countries in the Africa - Middle East region like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also major importers for many Halal products.

The food processing industry of Middle East - African countries has yet to developed, so they have to import many processed products, she said.

Seeing their benefits for health and environment, not only Muslim-majority countries but also major markets around the world such as the US and the EU are increasing imports of Halal products, she added.

The prices of Halal products are usually 5-10% higher than those of normal goods and consumers who want to use Halal products are willing to pay for them, Huong said.

She noted the national trade promotion programme can support exporters that eye markets in the Africa-Middle East region, adding exporters can send goods samples to Vietnamese trade offices in countries to introduce to local partners.

Tran Trong Kim, First Secretary in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Saudi Arabia, said that businesses need to learn market demand and regulations on quality management and food hygiene and safety carefully before exporting products.

As consumers in Saudi Arabia are moving towards a green and healthy life and sustainable environmental development, they favour organic and environmentally friendly products so businesses need to research production in this direction to increase export value as well as build their own brands.