The conference was co-organised by the Brazilian Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Nguyen The Hung, Deputy Director of the VCCI branch in Ho Chi Minh City said that Brazil is a developed economy with a GDP of US$1,993 billion and an average income per capita of US$10,200 in 2008. The country’s GDP growth rate is currently 5.1 percent. With the population of 198 million people, the country is a huge potential market. Brazil is the biggest producer of cacao, peas, orange juice, tobacco, forestry products and tropical fruits. Agriculture exports account for 35 percent of the nation’s total export value.

Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Brazil last year reached US$558 million with exports from Vietnam valued at US$183 million. Vietnam’s main exports are seafoods, coffee, vegetables, garments and textiles and handicrafts while the country imports wheat, milk and dairy products, timber, chemicals, pharmaceutical products and plastic.