Agricultural firms and cooperatives start selling online amid pandemic

HA NOI — Influenced by the pandemic, many agricultural production firms and cooperatives are developing their online trading channels to boost sales.

Hai Phong Agriculture Import and Export Company in Minh Tan Commune, Luong Tai District, Bac Ninh Province posts their products online.  Photo courtesy of the firm

Nguyen Thi Tram, director of Hai Phong Agriculture Import and Export Company in Minh Tan Commune, Luong Tai District, Bac Ninh Province, said: “Partners such as kitchens and school canteens have to close, so our sales were badly reduced. Therefore, promoting online shopping has helped remove some difficulties.”

Tram said during the pandemic, people stopped going out, but they still need food, so her clean food items such as cucumbers, carrots and other kinds of vegetables have sold well online.

Similar to Tram’s firm, some agriculture cooperatives are also promoting their products online.

The agricultural production cooperative in Cho Moi district, Bac Kan Province, regularly posts their products, such as forest honey, melon and dried noodles, on a Facebook page.

Director of the cooperative Luong Dinh Hung said the online sales channel has helped the cooperative reach out to many new customers, especially during the pandemic.

Hung said: “Currently, we sell and introduce most of the products via social media and online.”

While many firms and cooperatives see online sales as key to survival during the pandemic, it is not easy to sell agricultural products on the web as this requires them to invest in design, packaging and advertising to attract and retain customers.

Nguyen Binh Minh, member of the Vietnam E-Commerce Association, said: “In order to sell online, agricultural products must meet the basic standards of production and preservation, as well as have good proof of origin that makes consumers trust the quality of the products.”

Minh also added that delivery services were important to develop online sales.

Minh said online sales were key to help the business grow in a digital economy.