Even though I was born and grew up in Vietnam’s Mekong
Delta, I was fortunately enough to be able to study in the UK.
I still remember very clearly that, when taking me to the
airport, my father told me: "Dad and mom will try to work hard for you to
pursue education and we only hope you can become a talented and kind person who
will return to contribute to the country, where most people are still poor.”
I am now a British resident with a stable job outside my
home country. But never will I forget the hope of my parents, which is also
mine.
I set up a company that imports Vietnamese goods to the UK.
My first imported product is the Hoa Sua organic rice, and I am seeking markets
for the dried dragon fruit.
The purpose of business of my company is clear: carefully
selecting the high quality, healthy Vietnamese products to ship to the UK under
one single brand. The company will contribute its profit into the development
of clean technology and science, and help generate jobs for localities, and
contribute to the social development.
After days and months of studying the market, by attending
food fairs and exhibitions and giving product samples to UK consumers, I
realized that the potential for Vietnamese products in the UK is very big. The
reason is the selected products are delicious, new to consumers, and healthy.
Vietnamese cuisine is becoming more and more popular as the number of British
and European holidaymakers visiting Vietnam is increasing day by day.
Moreover, the British consumers are very concerned about the
origin, history and culture of the products. I was surprised when many British
said they are happy to know that Vietnam can produce organic rice without using
fertilizer and pesticide, and harming the environment.
In the short term, I hope to receive support from the
government to build up a brand for high-quality Vietnamese rice in the UK in
the next five years. From this point, there will be a Vietnamese brand in the
Europe in the next ten years.
So what is my
expectation for Vietnam in the 20 years to come?
Vietnam will have a strong and stable force of businesses,
who will top the Asia in food exporting.
My suggestions
For the businesses’ part, many Vietnamese firms now only
care about ‘quantity’, and ignore the ‘quality’ matter.
If cheap rice that fetches US$395 a ton is said to find no
buyers, so why Myanmar is able to ship hundreds of tons of rice to the Europe?
It is because the Europe is in need of good and clean rice,
despite a high price of nearly $1,000 a ton.
Business owners should try all ways possible to effectively
increase the value-added of their products, strictly control the production
phases to increase the production value, increase income for farmers, and
gradually affirm the positions of Vietnamese goods in the global market.
As for the business associations and businesspeople
societies, they are said by researches as being weak in cooperation and sharing
economic and technical experiences. Many are afraid of losing their technology
when sharing with others.
But few realizes that at these times of tough economic
times, where competitions are fierce, one will come to bankruptcy sooner or
later, if their company is not strong enough; and the technology one think only
they know is in fact available in all of the developed countries.
The saying that goes, "A tree cannot make a forest,” is
totally true, particular for businesspeople. No one can achieve success alone,
and what matters is how they choose partner to grow together.
Therefore, associations should frequently gather
recommendations by firms in terms of laws, mechanisms and policies, and
encourage cooperation between their members to transfer technology, share
production experience, and promote trade and advanced business culture.
As for universities, those such as Nong Lam University and
the University of Technology, with their talented lecturers and students, can
take their part by doing research, updating and enhancing production
technology, finding new breeds, or packaging and marketing.
A UK survey finds that 56 percent of local businesses fail
because of their weak managers. It is thus very important to train a force of
active entrepreneurs with good ethics, and good professional and management
skills, especially at the start-up stage.
The Foreign Trade University can cooperate with the business
association to set up a complete entrepreneur training curriculum. In order to
integrate with the global economy, entrepreneurs must be global citizens,
represent for their nations and set example for younger generations. Those with
unstable, exploitive and dishonest business must be eliminated.
As for the government, businesses are not unfamiliar with
lack of capital. The government has enacted many measures to support small- and
medium-sized enterprises (SME) with a VND17 trillion credit package in 2009,
but it is still unclear how the aid has affected the businesses in general and
the SMEs.
To me, the credit lending can be simplified and made more
transparent. For instance, the government can set up three units in charge of
providing loans. One is solely in charge of start-up firms, the second for
those businesses who need more capital to expand production, and the last to
help SMEs who need money for exports.
The government should also provide capital supports for
businesses to attend international fairs and exhibitions to promote their
products, as well as learning business experience of other countries.
After five years, the government can review and evaluate how
many loan recipients gain success, and how many jobs these firms generate as
well as the taxes they contribute to the state budget.
In 2012, I was studying the taxes to export rice to the UK
when I discovered that Thai, Indian and Pakistani rice are exempt from duties
when shipped to the UK, but Vietnamese rice is not.
I then wrote a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and
the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, calling for an explanation as
to why Vietnamese rice is subject to high duty, and called for help from the
government. Even though the letter was warmly replied, my requests were not
met.
I really hope the Vietnamese government and diplomats, those
who hold the decisive right to the nation’s economy and development, will
always try to reach bilateral treaties to promote exports of our staples
through the free trade agreements.
"Vietnam has not only a hardworking, ingenious workforce, or
an active and creative entrepreneur force, but also a strong and rich potential
in natural resources” – this is a common evaluation of most leading experts in
and outside Vietnam.
I believe when the potential for economic growth in each
citizen is provoked, and supported by the government, my expectation will be
realized.
PHAM THI BIEN THUY (31, United Kingdom)
Source: Tuoi Tre Newspaper