Media contact:
Misti Preston
Phone: (573) 751-8596
Misti.Preston@mda.mo.gov

For Immediate Release: March 24, 2008

Director of Agriculture Leads Trade Mission to Vietnam to Assist Missouri Companies Develop Sales Opportunities

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – At the request of Gov. Matt Blunt, Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Katie Smith led a feed-related mission to Vietnam recently to assist Missouri companies and suppliers in developing sales to Vietnam’s rapidly expanding feed industry. Smith, along with Dawn Wall, an international marketing specialist with MDA, and four Missouri companies traveled to Vietnam and met with the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the U.S. Ambassador about their growing economy and increased demand for animal protein consumption.

"Our trip to Vietnam was an opportunity to make positive contacts and provide Missouri companies with the information they need to make sales to Vietnam in the future," said Director Smith. "Vietnam has the fastest growing economy in Asia and the U.S. exported a record $624 million in agricultural, fish and forest products to the country last year. That was almost a ten-fold increase in exports since 2000. Our long-term vision and commitment to Vietnam has resulted in opening new markets and increased sales."

As livestock production moves from backyard production to commercial production in Vietnam, the demand for animal feeds increases. Missouri suppliers and companies met with more than eighty feed industry executives to discuss their needs for growing their feed mills and offering sales of feed additives and equipment.

"We were able to gain numerous contacts with companies in Vietnam and I am optimistic that Missouri companies will be able to increase sales for their feed mills," said Director Smith. "This trade mission was a success and beneficial for our state to increase sales to this expanding market."

Missouri’s total exports to Vietnam have increased from $9.8 million in 2006 to $17.2 million in 2007. Processed and value-added are the leading categories at $2.6 million with leather and related products following at $2.5 million. The combinations of wood and forestry products were the third largest export at $2.3 million.

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