A festival showcasing Peruvian grapes will take place in Hanoi from March 13 to 20, organized by the Embassy of Peru to mark Vietnam permitting the importation of the country’s grapes after more than five years of negotiations.

The opening of the festival will be attended by officials from the embassy and the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, and Foreign Affairs, and fruit enterprises. Organizers hope the festival will promote Peruvian grapes among Vietnamese consumers and push trade and cultural ties between the two countries.

Vietnamese enterprises have been able to import the grapes via through official channels since January 15.

The Viet Product Development Joint Stock Company (VPD), the owner of the Luon Tuoi Sach (always fresh and clean) fruit shop chain, and the Sarimi brand, another local fruit importer, have been the first to import red, green and black Peruvian grapes.

Under the cooperation deal between the embassy and VPD, the three types of grapes will be available at 12 VPD shops during the festival week for visitors to taste and buy at a discounted price.

Grapes have a positive effect on antioxidants, providing moisturization, Vitamin B3, minerals, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, which are all good for the health and the skin. 

Peruvian grapes have gained a reputation for good quality and are the country’s top agricultural export. 

Grape growing is concentrated along the central valleys on Peru’s coast, with new areas in the Piura and Lambayeque regions on the northern coast developing rapidly. 

The main variety produced is Red Globe, but others include Crimson seedless, Flame seedless, Sugraone, and Thompson seedless.

The country’s Foreign Agricultural Service estimates 2017-18 production at 638,000 tons, compared to 605,000 tons in the most recent season. Exports are forecast at 380,000 tons, a jump from the 300,000 tons in the 2016-17 season. 

Export turnover from grapes last year was $653.2 million, up 2.6 per cent against 2016, with the US being the largest importer followed by the Netherlands and China.

VN Economic Times