Contact: Ashley Huibregtse, 608-224-5002, ashley.huibregtse@wisconsin.gov
Jim Dick, Communications Director, 608-224-5020, jim.dick@wi.gov
MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel will make the State of Wisconsin’s first trade visit to Vietnam January 7-14, 2012. Brancel and Jennifer Lu, a DATCP Economic Development Consultant, will travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh and Hanoi.
After identifying Vietnam as an emerging market for Wisconsin exporters, DATCP’s International Trade Team applied for and received funding for the trip from the U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USGLE). This trip will allow Wisconsin to build relationships for future trade missions that could eventually lead to increased agricultural exports to Vietnam.
“The purpose of this visit is to identify opportunities and challenges for Wisconsin businesses hoping to export in the Vietnamese marketplace,” said Brancel. “Because of Vietnam’s sincere interest in expanding their dairy and livestock economies, there is great potential for a strong trade relationship with Wisconsin.”
While in Vietnam, Brancel and Lu will meet with the US Dairy Export Council, US Grains Council, Food Export Midwest, the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, the US Commercial Service, the Vietnam Feed Association, and the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development.
Brancel and Lu will also tour the METRO Cash and Carry, a retailer featuring various imported food in Ho Chi Minh City, True Happiness Dairy Farm, an extensive dairy farm and milk processing company, in Vinh, and grains and feed importers in the Hung Yen province. The retail, farm, and importers visits will provide valuable first-hand market information and insight and that will benefit Wisconsin exporters interested in exporting to the market.
“In the past, the Vietnamese marketplace has been limited to only a few businesses in Wisconsin,” added Brancel. “Through this educational and exploratory visit, we hope to identify additional prospects for many Wisconsin companies to have a successful export market in Vietnam.”
Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia with a young and dynamic population of nearly 90 million. No other market for U.S. agricultural products has grown as fast as Vietnam in recent years. In 2006, the United States was the 49th largest agricultural export market for Vietnam. In 2010 the U.S. ranked 15th largest. This past July, Vietnam opened its market to allow live U.S. breeding cattle imports.
In the past several years, trade between Vietnam and Wisconsin has grown significantly. In 2010, trade between Vietnam and Wisconsin increased 101 percent over 2009, ranking Wisconsin 15th in the nation for agricultural exports to that Southeast Asian country. Wisconsin is the number one exporter of whey to Vietnam. In 2010, 40 percent of Vietnam’s whey imports came from Wisconsin, totaling over $5 million. Other top exports from Wisconsin to Vietnam in 2010 included: hides and skins, sugars, dried distillers grains (livestock feed), and soybeans.
“In recent years Wisconsin has seen some very promising export numbers, and we hope to open additional doors,” concluded Lu. “We are very appreciative that the USGLE has recognized the further export opportunities in Vietnam by providing support for this very important visit.”
DATCP’s International Trade Team is dedicated to providing support to Vietnamese businesses interested in purchasing high quality agricultural products from Wisconsin and to help Wisconsin agricultural exporters take advantage of the opportunities in this booming market. Following this visit, the team will work to encourage and assist business partnerships between potential buyers and Wisconsin agribusinesses.
If your business is interested in learning more, contact DATCP at 800-462-5237 or international@wisconsin.gov. You can also connect with DATCP on Twitter at twitter.com/widatcp or Facebook at facebook.com/widatcp.
