Vietnam and the Netherlands committed themselves to bring the Vietnamese horticulture sector to a higher level
On Wednesday 10 April during the trade mission led by Prime Minister Rutte, Minister van Nieuwenhuizen and Vice-Minister Sonnema to Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong – Acting General Director of Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mr. Henk van Eijk – Chairman of the Vietnam Netherlands Horti Business Platform signed a Memorandum of Understanding to express their intent to cooperate together as to benefit from each other’s complimentary expertise in the horticultural sector. The signing ceremony took place during the Holland Trade Networking Lunch in Hanoi in the presence of potential Dutch and Vietnamese members: KP Holland, Onings Holland Flowerbulbs, Wageningen Food and Biobased Research, Kenlog b.v., VinEco, LAVIFOOD ISC, Nafoods Group JSC, HADICO, Thien Dieu and VNUA.
Cooperation model
The prospective Vietnamese and Dutch members of the Platform, participating in a cooperative association U.A., are developing a cooperation model with the aim:
- to produce safe and healthy food by applying smart farming, such as pest and disease management and cultivation techniques to protect the soil and groundwater conditions or restore and rehabilitate soil and water resources for agricultural use;
- to shorten the food supply chain in order to secure ultra-fresh, safe produce for consumers and minimizing waste;
- to increase the revenue and profit margins for (small) farmers by minimizing waste and losses of fresh produce.
This model will use proven and innovative technologies and the knowledge and experience of the members of the Platform, covering all stages of the entire supply chain, such as propagation materials, greenhouse equipment and technology, sustainable energy and water management, cultivation methods and techniques for greenhouses and open field, climate control and post-harvest management.
Efficient agro-food supply chains
‘Many of the Vietnamese partners are looking for a concept that offers them tools to develop their agro-food supply chain as efficient as in the Netherlands. The Platform can offer Vietnamese partners tailor-made and comprehensive supply chain solutions from the initiation of projects, to the implementation and upscaling. Strategic business planning, market analysis, agro-logistics planning, hardware installation, improved starting material, post-harvest technology, research, and much more can be made available through the members of the Platform; generally each individual organization could only offer some of these services. By joining forces the Platform can offer a complete ‘supply chain package’ and therefore respond much better to the specific needs of the Vietnamese partners.‘ explains Heike Axmann from Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (part of Wageningen University & Research), one of the founding members of the Platform.
Field visit to VinEco
On Friday 12 April, Kenlog as initiator of the Platform organised a field trip to VinEco for the companies with a focus on the agri- and horticulture sector. VinEco is one of the potential Platform members and is a subsidiary of the Vingroup. VinEco cultivates for the domestic market safe and high quality products including fresh vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, flowers and medicinal plants at farms located throughout Vietnam. The fresh produce is sold via their own distribution channels and outlets, named VinMart (supermarkets), VinMart+ (convenience stores) and Adayroi (online sales).
*Left to right: Mr Theo Tiegelaar (Vietnam Netherlands Horti Business Platform/Kenlog), Ms Heike Axmann (Wageningen Food & Biobased Research), Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong (Acting General Director of the Crop Production Department of MARD), Mr. Henk van Eijk (Vietnam Netherlands Horti Business Platform/Kenlog), Mr Paul Onings (Onings Holland Flower Bulbs), Mr Aad van der Knaap (KP Holland), Mrs Ngo Thi Hoa (Vietnamese ambassador in the Netherlands), Mrs. Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management), Mrs. Elsbeth Akkerman (Dutch ambassador in Vietnam) and Hans de Boer (Chairman (VNO-NCW)