(VOVworld) – Vietnam and Japan will work closely together to apply advanced technologies in agricultural production, processing, and post-harvest storage. The agreement was reached between Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and Masaru Hashimoto, Governor of Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture, who is visiting Vietnam to strengthen agricultural cooperation between Ibaraki and Vietnamese localities. The cooperation will help to increase the value of the food chain from production, harvesting, processing, and storage, to distribution and expand direct investment in agriculture.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat addresses a meeting on Vietnam-Japan agricultural cooperation. (Photo: VOV)

Phat said: “The challenge facing Vietnam now is how to improve the competitiveness of its exported farm produce. Agricultural production has fully served domestic demand and targeted foreign markets. So Vietnam wants to cooperate with Japan to increase its products quality and especially to learn about processing technologies to help its exported products generate higher value.”

In recent years, Japan has provided Vietnam with technical assistance programs, preferential loans, and the exchange of experts and experiences. A number of Japanese businesses are running efficient investments in Vietnam’s agricultural industry.