National Farmers' Federation of Australia (NFF) President Hamish McIntyre expressed interest in expanding agricultural cooperation with Vietnam in trade, investment and labour. He made the remarks during a working session with Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam in Canberra on October 13.
McIntyre praised the development of Vietnam's agricultural market, describing the country as an important partner for Australian businesses. He said the NFF is exploring cooperation opportunities and is ready to support Vietnamese delegations visiting Australian farms to gain practical experience.
Established in 1979, the NFF has around 80,000 farmer members nationwide and 32 affiliated organisations. McIntyre said many farms in its network need Vietnamese agricultural workers, while Australian businesses are interested in increasing exports to Vietnam, including beef, lamb, wine, cotton and wool.
He expressed hope that the federation would become an effective bridge between businesses in the two countries, helping them reach mutually beneficial cooperation agreements and further deepen the Vietnam Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Tam outlined Vietnam's agricultural strengths, potential and development priorities, as well as specific sectors in which Vietnamese localities are seeking foreign investment, particularly from Australia.
The diplomat stressed the need for Vietnamese agricultural associations and businesses to learn from international experience. He said the embassy is ready to help the NFF establish direct links with the Vietnam Farmers' Union, localities and businesses interested in cooperation.
To turn these opportunities into concrete results, the ambassador called on the NFF to introduce Australian businesses with expertise in high tech agriculture, aquaculture and seafood processing. He also urged the federation to connect with reputable exporters to introduce kangaroo meat as a new product for the Vietnamese market, following a recent agreement between the two sides.
He hoped the NFF would continue working with relevant Australian government agencies to accelerate arrangements to receive Vietnamese workers and help ensure the effective implementation of the bilateral agreement on sending Vietnamese agricultural workers to Australia.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
