the dti TO LEAD AN OUTWARD SELLING MISSION TO VIETNAM

the dti TO LEAD AN OUTWARD SELLING MISSION TO VIETNAM

 by BRIAN KAJENGO

The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will lead a delegation of sixteen businesspeople on an Outward Selling Mission (OSM) to Vietnam from 24–28 March 2014.

The objective of the mission is to create market access of South African value-added products and services into new markets and to promote South Africa as a trade and investment destination.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies says Vietnam is a niche market for South African exporters and provides an alternative destination for South African products in Asia.

“Vietnam has a fast expanding middle class, presenting opportunities to export food and wine. The authorities in that country have also moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive export-driven industries,” says Davies.

Minister Davies says sectors targeted for the mission are agro-processing, Information Communications Technology, capital equipment, aerospace and marine, and chemicals.

The programme for the Outward Selling Mission, which hosted in the city of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, will include trade seminars, business-to-business meetings and site visits.

The total trade between South Africa and Vietnam amounted to R 1.2 billion and total value exports stood at R1.6 billion in 2013/14. The top export products from South Africa to Vietnam in 2012/13 were ferrous waste or scrap of iron or steel, aluminium plate, sheets and strip, and unwrought aluminium. Trade was in favour of Vietnam with a surplus of R7.9 billion.