Australia's Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie is in Vietnam to promote Australian farmers' strong credentials as reliable providers of high quality, safe and sustainable food and fibre.
"What I've heard from major customers in Japan and Korea, and now Vietnam is the importance of continuing to invest in our long-standing and highly valued trading relationships," Minister McKenzie said.
"That needs to happen at the government-to-government level as well as between our farming sector and their customers in-market.
"Last week the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, was in Vietnam to progress the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy and agreed with his counterpart, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, that we would work to double investment and become top ten trade partners.
"This is the sort of ambitious trade agenda that I'm on the ground to deliver.
"It's the sort of ambition that will help us turn Australia's food and fibre industries into a $100 billion sector by 2030."
The Vietnamese Minister for Agriculture, Mr Nguyen Xuan Cuong, acknowledged Australia's globally significant role in agriculture.
"I am pleased that Minister McKenzie was able to bring such a strong delegation with her to Vietnam, with representatives from both government and industry.
"This is an indication of Australia's strong interest in increasing agriculture and trade ties between our two countries."
Minister McKenzie reiterated the desire of both countries to work together to facilitate market access for a range of aquatic and agricultural products.
"Through our trade agreements Australian goods exports to Vietnam will be 95 per cent tariff free by 2021.
"Today I witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Meat and Livestock Australia and Vietnam's Department of Animal Health, formalising their cooperation on improving animal health and welfare through the supply chain.
"This MoU is a demonstration of the sort of cooperation that Australian and Vietnamese businesses develop when they co-invest to achieve outcomes.
"I've also had my first taste of fresh Vietnamese longans which will be readily available to Australian consumers in the near future.
"They're a refreshing lychee-like fruit that will be available to consumers for a longer season thanks to the agreed import conditions.
"This trip is all about working with Australian farm leaders to promote our high quality food and fibre to key trading partners.
"We do that each and every day through our network of agricultural counsellors. This government has nearly doubled the number of agricultural counsellors working to improve our market access in-market, from 12 in 2013 to 22 now.
"It's allowed us to enhance dialogue with Vietnam, along with Chile, Mexico, Malaysia, and the UK and to increase our representation in other markets like China, India, the Middle East and the EU.
"The Liberal National Government is serious about enhancing trade because what's important here is to ensure Australian farmers can access, maintain and grow their footprint in profitable markets so that the benefits of trade flow back through the farmgate."
Meeting with the Vietnamese Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, H.E. Mr Nguyen Xuan Cuong to discuss market access for Aussie food and fibre.
