WSDA to Viet Nam Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. It was a very busy trade mission in Viet Nam for Washington state’s Director of Agriculture Derek Sandison.
Sandison says he and many representatives from our state were in Viet Nam recently to help promote Washington ag products and where they fit in that market …
SANDISON … “We did sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Vice Minister Trung from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It’s a five-year MOU which basically covers, you know, looking for joint marketing trade promotion opportunities for our state and Viet Nam.”
That, Sandison says should be big for the educational side …
SANDISON … “Focused on research and development, best practices, so there’s a big role for Washington State University as our land-grant to coordinate with Viet Nam and with the institutions and colleges that are under the Ministry in Viet Nam. So, I think that’s a real positive step that we’re kind of taking our relationship to a higher level and that’s, I think that’s a good thing.”
And the market for Washington ag products in Viet Nam, Sandison says is on the rise …
SANDISON … “Absolutely, yeah, I mean, so it’s a rapidly expanding middle class, more buying power and just, again, we call them emerging markets but it’s a market where we think there’s a lot of growth potential.”
Again, that’s Washington State Department of Agriculture director, Derek Sandison.
