TEHRAN (MNA) – Iranian and Vietnamese agriculture ministers have emphasized on reinvigoration of bilateral cooperation in areas of agriculture and fishery.
At a meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao ??c Phلt and Iran’s Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati investigated venues for bilateral cooperation between the two sides and emphasized in the need to develop ties between the two sides in agriculture and fishery arenas.
Iran’s Hojjati, while noting that the two countries could complement each other in trade and agricultural transactions, asserted "Iran and Vietnam possess numerous potentials in agriculture sector and can supply the other side’s demands.”
He stressed that agro products could be re-exported to regional markets through Iran and Vietnam though certain agreements had to be inked beforehand.
Iran is the first producer of farmed salmon trout in the world, noted the official voicing the country’s readiness to ship the product to Vietnam; "other products like pistachios, dates, apples and pomegranates are also produced in Iran and can be deployed to Vietnam or its neighboring states.”
"Iran can fulfill demand for rice and some other products by importing from the Southeast Asian country,” highlighted the Iranian agriculture minister.
Cao ??c Phلt of Vietnam, for his part, recalled the agreement between presidents of the two countries on increasing annual trade turnover to two million dollars, said, with expansion of agricultural relations, Iran will gain access not only to the 90-million population of Vietnam but also to the 650-million population of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"Vietnam neighbors China with a population of 1.6 billion people and has inked free trade agreement with 15 countries,” stressed Phلt inviting Iran to take advantage of the opportunity to develop its export markets.