Promoting regional linkage from production to distribution is essential to turn the country's southern part into a trade hub.

Vegetable and fruit export turnover posted a year on year increase of 47 percent to top $2.3 billion while import doubled the same period last year to hit $1.06 billion during the first eight months this year.

While Vietnam's trade deficit with major economies is the result of large imports of inputs for production, the country's trade gap with Thailand comes mainly from importing fruit and vegetables, many of which Vietnam can produce.

According to the Cai Be district People's Committee, in the first eight months of 2017, the agricultural sector of the district has restored more than 100 hectares of Co Co grapefruit.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) issued an announcement, on September 13, opposing the unfair anti-dumping tariff rate that the US Department of Commerce (DOC) has decided to impose on frozen Tra fish fillets imported from Vietnam.

It is necessary to ensure the quality and efficiency of banking credit in order to attain the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth target of 6.7% in 2017, according to economist Vu Dinh Anh.

On September 13, Chairman of the Tien Giang People's Committee (PPC) Le Van Huong with representatives of relevant departments and leaders of the Cho Gao district People's Committee surveyed the status of landslide on Cho Gao channel.

On the morning of September 9, the Tien Giang provincial Department of Planning and Investment held a ceremony to announce the decision to establish the Tien Giang provincial Centre for Enterprises Support and Development.

On September 11, Chairman of Tien Giang provincial People's Committee Le Van Huong has hust met with investors to find out about investment projects in the province including Hung Vuong Street, Nguyen Tri Phuong social housing project, Go Cong industrial cluster, etc ...

More than 100 pavilions will be set up at the Vietnam seafood and tra fish (pangasius) fair, the first of its kind, to be held in Hanoi from October 6 to 8.

Vietnam imported vegetables and fruits worth of more than 1 billion USD in the first eight months of 2017, a year-on-year increase of 94 percent.

According to statistics of the Tien Giang provincial People's Committee, the industrial production index of the province in the first eight months increased by 16.8% in comparision with the same period.

The Ministry of Finance has held a meeting to introduce changes in the list of Vietnam's export and import goods as per Circular No 65/2017/TT-BTC.

As many as 12,404 new enterprises were set up in August with total capital of 131 trillion VND (5.76 billion USD), up 6.2 percent in volume and 39 percent in value, reported the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The first shipment of 300 tonnes of processed chicken products will be exported to Japan by sea, on September 9, after receiving approval from the Japanese side, according to Koyu & Unitek Co Ltd, an Australian-Japanese joint venture in Dong Nai province.

The Cao Lanh Bridge crossing the Tien River, in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, is nearing completion as it has been closed at mid-span following 41 months of construction.

On the afternoon of August 31, the Chairman of the provincial People's Committee (PPC) Le Van Huong presided over the meeting member of the PPC in August.

A workshop was held in Hanoi on August 31 to collect opinions from experts, manufacturers and businesses to build a decree on organic farming development in Vietnam.

On the afternoon of August 28, Chairman of the Tien Giang provincial People's Committee (PPC) and leaders of departments and leaders of Tan Phuoc district inspected the work of flood and storm prevention in Tan Phuoc district.

Australia officially allowed the importation of fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam, following the importation of fresh lychee and mango, the Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) announced on August 28.

The 17th International Agriculture Trade Fair 2017 (Agroviet 2017) is scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City from September 21-24 with the participation of over 200 domestic and international businesses.

Vietnam's agro-forestry and fisheries export revenues were estimated to reach US$3.1 billion in August, bringing the total figure for the first eight months of 2017 to US$23.66 billion, up 13.5% compared to the same period last year, according to MARD.

As many as 200 enterprises and more than 194,000 locals in 22 rural communes of the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have benefited from a Canadian-funded project to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) worth 12.1 million CAD (9.63 million USD).

The 2017 Vietnam Machinery and Wood Material Fair kicked off at Binh Duong Exhibition and Convention Center in Thu Dau Mot city, Binh Duong province, on August 23.

On August 24, the Australian delegation led by Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston, co-Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Management, visited and worked at the Southern Fruit Institute.

On August 21, the Go Cong Tay district People's Committee held a meeting to establish the branch of Business Association of Go Cong Tay district.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has announced that it already granted certificates to 28 agricultural businesses applying high technologies.

The 17th International Agriculture Trade Fair 2017 (Agroviet 2017) will take place at Phu Tho Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City's Ward 11 from September 21-24, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The MARD has issued a safety control programme designed for Siluriformes fish (mainly tra and basa) and related products exported to the US market as part of efforts to adapt to new changes in the mket.

On August 18, the Tien Giang Department of Industry and Trade organized the announcement of the point of Vietnamese sale under the name of "Proud of Vietnamese goods" at Tan Phuoc grocery store.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has called on relevant State agencies to fine-tune regulations on projects under build-operate-transfer (BOT) contracts as a number of ill-implemented projects have caused public protest.

On the afternoon of August 17, the PPC held an emergency meeting to summarize the work of natural disaster prevention and search, rescue in the first 7 months as well as direct the task of the rest months of 2017.

The Southern Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Co. Ltd (SVEAM) said it will invest efforts in improving product quality so as to export more Vietnam-branded agricultural machinery.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference in the Central Highlands city of Da Lat, on August 14, to discuss the development of high-tech agriculture in Lam Dong province.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced it is preparing to review 30 years of foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in Vietnam.

There remains considerable potential for Vietnam to export rice to Singapore, according to a Vietnamese delegation which visited Singapore in early August to seek ways to boost the shipment of agricultural products to this country.

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has licensed Hudavil Tra Vinh fertiliser joint stock company to build a plant producing organic-microbial and organic-mineral fertilisers from sugar press mud.

The MARD coordinated with the Lang Son Provincial People's Committee to organise a forum in the northern border province of Lang Son on August 11, to discuss the necessary measures to promote vegetable and fruit trade between Vietnam and China.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a project on improving the competitiveness of Vietnam's exports to 2020 with orientation to 2030, with the aim of increasingthe added value of key products by 20 percent.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien expressed his concern regarding a lack of funds for transport projects in the 2016-2020 period, at a working session with the Ministry of Transport, in Hanoi on August 8.

The total retail sales value of goods and services in July was estimated at more than VND 327.6 trillion (US$14.4 billion), 1.2% higher than last month and 10.3% higher than at the same period last year.

Vegetables and fruit continue to be a bright spot in the field of agricultural exports during the first seven months of 2017.

The Prime Minister has recently approved a project on improving the competitiveness of a number of key Vietnamese export commodities by 2020 with a vision to 2030.

Information from the Vietnam Competition Authority revealed that the US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced its decision to adjust the antidumping duty on Vietnamese shrimp exported to the country, between February 1, 2013 and January 31, 2014, from 1.16% to 1.42%.

According to the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, Tien Giang greeted nearly 997.8 million tourist arrivals in the first seven months of 2017, a year-on-year rise of 7%.

On Agust 2, Chairman of the Tien Giang provincial People's Committee (PPC) Le Van Huong and leaders of some provincial departments worked with Nam of London Co., Ltd and Royal Foods Co., Ltd (in My Tho Industrial Park).

Vietnam is expected to become the EU's largest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), once the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) comes into effect in 2018, according to the Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.

Mekong Delta provinces are on the right track to lure more holidaymakers and turn tourism into a spearhead industry after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved a master plan to develop tourism in the region by 2020 with a vision to 2030.

Vietnam has seen 72,953 newly-established enterprises in the first seven months of this year with a total registered capital of VND690.74 trillion (US$30.39 billion), an annual increase of 13.8% in terms of the number of enterprises and 39% in terms of registered capital.