The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) will be representing British interests this week during an EU trade mission to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia, led by European Agriculture Commissioner, Phil Hogan.
The visit, which begins tomorrow, November 1, is part of a €100 million (£90m) EU-based agri-food products initiative, designed to build new export links around the world.
AHDB is one of 42 different organisations and commercial companies, drawn from 16 member states, who have signed up to join the three-country tour. The group, which features several prominent pork sector “tourists”, includes Danish Crown and the Danish Agriculture and Food Council (Denmark), Tönnies Lebensmittel (Germany), Vion Food Group (Netherlands), Intrerporc (Spain) and FPAS – National Pig farmers Union (Portugal).
“I’m continuing my ‘diplomatic offensive’ of 2016 by visiting Vietnam,” said Mr Hogan (pictured above). “With a population of 90 million, Vietnam is a fast-growing and dynamic economy, with huge potential to continue growing in the coming years.”
The commissioner added that the total turnover of the European companies whose representatives will be taking part in the mission, is in excess of €170 billion (£150bn).
“Importantly, there are producer groups and cooperatives heavily represented, so that the European farmer can have a direct route to global markets,” he said. “They will be meeting buyers and potential business partners in order to highlight the quality of our products and introduce to importers and authorities the stories and values behind our agricultural production.”
The Commissioner’s planned programme includes meetings with the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and the country’s agriculture and health minisiters. Mr Hogan is also due to meet the Head of the Indonesian National Agency for Drugs and Food Control and the Secretary for Food and Health of Hong-Kong.