The Chinese government has agreed to more than halve tariffs on SA's iconic rooibos, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) said on Tuesday. This is offering the prospect of local producers ramping up exports to the world's largest consumer of tea.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has affirmed the determination to strengthen trade promotion and export to major markets, optimising free trade agreements (FTA), making full use of opportunities, and actively responding to challenges in 2024.

The Southeast is one of the dynamic and creative economic regions, leading in innovation and development in our country. With a large export scale, the Southeast region is maintaining its leading position in export activities.

With no remaining inventory from the previous crop season, many signed contracts are awaiting the new season for delivery, and the predicted harvest volume is declining. These signals indicate that the supply of Vietnamese coffee is likely to be in a tense state in the near future. This not only poses challenges for Vietnamese coffee export businesses but also raises concerns for foreign buyers.

Although Vietnamese rice has been exported to 150 countries and territories, markets for the product are mainly Asian countries and thus need to be diversified, according to experts.

China has launched a new anti-dumping investigation into French brandy imports, escalating a trade dispute between Beijing and Brussels.

INDIA has extended its tariff-free period for lentils by 12 months to 31 March 2025, a move which has been welcomed by the Australian pulse industry.

Expanding customer bases and diversifying products are the necessary solutions to maintain production and grow businesses, experts say.