Hanoi (VNA) – The EU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (EVFTA) going into effect has given an extra push for Vietnamesegoods into the Swedish market as import tariff cut heightens theircompetitiveness, Diep Van Ty, chairman of the Vietnamese trade association inSweden, has said.

Food and foodstuff are the biggest earners from the tradedeal since the tariffs were slashed to zero as soon as it took effect, said Ty,who is also Chairman of East Asian Food AB, a Sweden-based food importer. Theseare also the most popular Vietnamese exports to Sweden, he added.

Data from the Vietnamese Trade Office in Sweden showedVietnam was among the three exporters of rice, besides the US and Norway,posting positive growth in the Northern European country, attributable to thebenefits brought about by the EVFTA.

Ty pointed out several challenges facing Vietnamese goods inthe Swedish market, notably high shipping costs caused by the long geographicaldistance between the two countries.

Many Swedish consumers have become familiar with food importedfrom Thailand and other countries, so it takes time to influence their tasteand habit, he explained, adding that the supply of most of the imports fromVietnam can be disrupted by seasonal factors.

To fix the problems, the Vietnamese trade association plansto raise investment for the construction of a major logistics centre forVietnamese products located at the city of Malmo, expected to facilitate thedistribution of goods in Sweden and reduce costs.

The association is also considering to send a delegation toVietnam this year to seek for quality and stable suppliers./.