On June 02, 2015, at the office of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Minister Nguyễn Quân had a working session with the delegation of Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Strategic Research Council led by the Chairman of the Council, Mr. Nishikawa Koya.

Attending the working session, in the MOST’s side were leaders from the Department of Organization and Personnel, Department of International Corporation, in the Japan’s side were Mr. Nishikawa Yasuo, Office of Nishikawa Senator together with representatives of Churashima Okinawa Association, Green Wind Company, Sadazen Company, ABI Company, Yachiyo Engineering General Consulting Company, Ichigo Company, representatives of companies from Malaysia, Israel, Austria…

In the working session, Chairman Nishikawa Koya expressed his special attention to Viet Nam – Japan relationships and hoped to support Viet Nam’s farmers with using high-technologies in production. Chairman Nishikawa Koya said that in his visit to Viet Nam, the delegation has directly been to Viet Nam’s agricultural production areas and had initially good comments about the corporation program in supporting farmers with using high technologies in production, post-harvest preservation.

Also within the framework of the visit and working in MOST, Minister Nguyễn Quân, Chairman Nishikawa Koya and AIC Chair-woman Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhàn witnessed the signing ceremony of the Agreement on “Cooperation to introduce high technologies for supporting farmers of litchi-growing areas of 3 provinces of Hải Dương, Bắc Giang, Quảng Ninh, which can help to grow standard products and can be exported to foreign countries in 2015 and following years” among representatives of Japanese, Australian, Malaysian, Israeli companies together with representatives of three provinces of Quảng Ninh, Hải Dương, Bắc Giang and Advancement International Joint stock Company (AIC).

Then, the parties would closely cooperate to organize the implementation of S&T applications in growing litchi, preservation, standard process and export to foreign countries. In 2015, 1,000 tons of litchi of 3 provinces of Hải Dương, Quảng Ninh, Bắc Giang to the market of 6 countries as Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Israel, Singapore. It is expected that in the following years, the number of litchi to be exported to the world market would be increased to 50,000 – 100,000 tones/year, this figure would be continued to increase over years, and then the brand name of Viet Nam’s litchi would be established in the international market. Marketing programs on developing markets for these products in foreign countries. For long term, the cooperation program among the parties would establish and apply international standard systems which are implemented in localities, help to export Viet Nam’s agricultural products to many countries in the world, and move towards of establishing the brand name for Viet Nam’s litchi in the international market.

In the Signing ceremony, Chairman Nishiwaka Koya affirmed that firstly in Japan’s market, the Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Strategic Research Council would support to carry out necessary legal procedures in Japan and propose specific requirements for Viet Nam’s side to be able to export litchi into Japan’s market; introduce Japanese companies to provide standard systems, necessary technologies to plan, grow and preserve litchis according to standards which can be exported to Japan; introduce Japanese companies which have demands of importing Viet Nam’s litchi to Japan to work with Viet Nam’s litchi exporting companies in order to bring litchi to Japan’s market.

Representatives from the provinces participating in this program were very happy and hoped that the program would bring in practical benefits for farmers. In addition, the provinces have committed to create all favorable conditions for Japanese companies as well those from other countries which have demands of importing Viet Nam’s litchi to come for surveying, doing research and working out implementation plans and create favorable conditions for litchi-growing farmers to use high technologies in growing litchi to sell in the domestic market and export to foreign countries; organize marketing activities to develop the domestic and foreign market to support the program; coordinate with functional agencies and companies to complete legal procedures for exporting Viet Nam’s litchi to other countries in the world.

At the same time, the provinces would actively provide information on their agriculture, forestry and fisheries status and propose specific requirements to MOST, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Strategic Research Council and AIC on their development orientations, closely coordinate according to laws for successfully implementation of projects on S&T use and transfer into practice.

Delivering a speech in the signing ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology highly appreciated this technology transfer program, at the same time affirmed to commit the establishment of legal framework within MOST’s authority to support the program to be successfully implemented; at the same time set up agencies, human resources and equipment available to support organizations and individuals for the program implementation.

It is known that this Program on cooperation and transfer of high-technology applications on agricultural production is a very special important event, which has significant meaning for Viet Nam’s agricultural production, practically support farmers to absorb and master of advanced technologies, improve production capacities, services and product quality and increase the productivity in the regional and world market.