ROME — Việt Nam introduced its fruit, vegetables, and other farm produce at Macfrut 2021: the Fruit & Veg Professional Show, which wrapped up on Thursday in Rimini city, the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.

On display at the Vietnamese booth are fresh fruits from northern Sơn La and southern Bến Tre provinces, including grapefruit, longan, avocado, and mango.

Other specialities such as coffee and tea were also brought to the event.

Macfrut 2021 is the first major event for the fruit sector to be held in the European region after a nearly two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It offers a good chance for Việt Nam to set up partnerships and seek export markets for its agricultural products in Italy and other EU member nations.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyễn Thị Bích Huệ emphasised that Việt Nam’s presence at Macfrut 2021 shows the desire and efforts of the embassy, localities and domestic businesses to promote Vietnamese fruits to international markets.

The fair also serves as a bridge helping Vietnamese businesses access and connect with Italian partners who possess advanced technologies for producing, processing and preserving fruits, she said.

The two-day event features 800 booths, and is expected to attract about 500 fruit importers worldwide.

Fruit production is a strategic field of Italy’s agricultural sector, recording a growth of 9.4-per cent in volume and 11.9 per cent in value in the first five months of 2021. — VNS