HCM City (VNA) - Argentinawants to boost exports of agricultural products to Vietnam and at the same timebuy more Vietnamese products, an agriculture official from the South Americancountry has said.

Rosario Martearena, undersecretaryfor agricultural markets in the Ministry of Agriculture of Argentina, isleading a trade mission comprising 11 companies to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi toexplore trade opportunities.

Speaking at a business matchingevent in HCM City on November 29, she said Argentina and Vietnam have avery good partnership, especially in trade, as shown by their rising trade inrecent years.

Vietnam has become the fourth biggestimporter of Argentina, buying more than 2.5 billion USD worth of products from thecountry this year to October.

Of Argentina’s exports to Vietnam,soybean meal accounted for nearly 59 percent, maize 29 percent, and wheat 5 percent.

She said through her visit Argentinahopes to diversify its exports to Vietnam by also shipping beef, goat meat,pork and aquatic products.

“I am also working to open moremarket opportunities for Vietnam. Argentina is very interested in Vietnamesefruits and garments and textiles," she said.

[Vietnam important trad♈e partner of Argentina: Vice President𒆙]

Nearly half of the Argentiniancompanies represented in her delegation have done business with Vietnam and soalready know the market and about businesses here, she said, adding that theVietnamese embassy in Argentina is very supportive in providing marketinformation.

Ho Xuan Lam, deputy director of theHCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said his centre and the cityhave organised many trade promotion activities including business seminars andB2B events to acquaint local companies with the Argentinian market and solicitinvestment from Argentinian businesses.

Argentina is now one of Vietnam’smost important trade partner in Latin America.

Bilateral trade topped 2.9 billionUSD last year and is expected to rise to 3.5 billion USD this year.

Vietnam mainly exports footwear,textiles, rubber, electronic parts, and plastic products and imports soybeans,soybean oil, maize, wheat, cattle feed and drugs.

Next year Vietnam and Argentina willcelebrate 45 years of diﷺ💖plomatic ties.-VNA