Participants presented in-depth analyses of both the opportunities created and challenges posed by the country’s membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and put forth practical and theoretical solutions to ensure strong and sustainable growth of the two industries in the future.

According to experts, to improve the competitiveness and sustain the growth of the wooden product and handicraft industries, the State must act to zone off areas of land where raw materials are grown, to increase their availability and supply and reduce the industries’ reliance on importing such materials.

The experts also emphasised the need to establish institutes and centres to design and create models for wooden furniture and handicraft products to increase the value of exported items.

To assist the fishery sector, the experts suggested the establishment of a seafood processing and trading network, along with increasing the control and monitoring of product quality, diseases and the use of chemicals and medicines in aquaculture.

In the two years since it joined the WTO, Vietnam ’s economy has experienced large-scale and comprehensive changes. The wooden product, handicraft and fishery sectors have become some of the country’s main hard currency earners.

Turnover from wooden furniture exports reached 2.5 billion USD during 2007 and is estimated to hit 3 billion USD this year. Vietnam ’s wooden and handicraft products are now available in 162 countries and territories worldwide.

Last year, Vietnam climbed up to 8 th place in the list of the world’s biggest seafood exporters, with its products available in almost 140 countries and territories.