HONG KONG — A range of Việt Nam’s key agricultural products is being showcased at the Vietnam Trade Office’s pavilion at the 8th Food Expo in Hong Kong, China, attracting strong interest from visitors.

The event, organised by the Hong Kong Food Council and taking place from November 20–24, offers an important platform to promote Vietnamese brands, connect with new partners and expand the export of agricultural goods to the Hong Kong market.

The showcased products include rice, dried vermicelli, dried pho, coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, fish sauce, confectionery, black garlic, ha thu o (polygonum multiflorum), and lime-concentrate items, all of which have seen growing demand in Hong Kong in recent years.

According to Vũ Thị Thủy, deputy consul general and Trade Counsellor of Việt Nam in Hong Kong, economic and trade relations between Việt Nam and Hong Kong have grown strongly. Bilateral trade totalled US$39.3 billion in 2024, with Việt Nam exporting more than $20 billion.

In the first nine months of this year alone, two-way trade reached a record $49.4 billion, making Việt Nam Hong Kong’s third-largest trading partner after mainland China and Taiwan (China). Việt Nam’s exports to Hong Kong rose to $28.9 billion, up 79.5 per cent year-on-year.

Thủy noted that, in addition to major Vietnamese export groups such as electronics, textiles and consumer goods, food and agricultural items have enjoyed robust growth.

In the first nine months, Việt Nam’s food exports to Hong Kong reached $320.3 million, up 18.7 per cent from the same period last year. This reflects rising consumer confidence and growing preference in Hong Kong for Vietnamese food products.

She added that Hong Kong’s strong post-pandemic tourism recovery, with 45 million visitors last year, has further boosted demand for agricultural and food supplies. Thủy expressed her hope that Vietnamese goods will continue expanding their presence in Hong Kong’s food-service supply chain.

Wison Wong, founder of Starch International, said his company specialising in importing Vietnamese agricultural goods has seen rising demand for health-oriented products in both Hong Kong and mainland China. Since early this year, the company has also increased its role as a transshipment hub for Vietnamese goods to regional and global markets.

Nguyễn Ngọc Hà, director of Viet Kwong, said her company has operated in Hong Kong for 17 years and frequently joins local trade fairs to promote Vietnamese agricultural products. Hong Kong consumers, she said, appreciate Vietnamese goods for their distinct flavours and cultural familiarity. — VNA/VNS