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from HỘI NGHỊ ĐIỀU QUỐC TẾ VIỆT NAM LẦN THỨ 12 - 2023

DAÁU AÁN VINACAS

The Vietnam Cashew Association with practical jobs is one of the important factors fast and strong development of contributing to the Vietnamcashewindustry.

From a country that exports raw cashew nuts with a small quantity, Vietnam cashew industry has No. 1 risen to position in the world for many consecutive years in terms of exporting cashew kernels and mastering processing technology and equipment.

VINACAS attracts more and more enterprises to participate in. Up to now, the number of members has been over 500, operating in the fields of growing, production, processing, trading, import and export, finance, research, training and services relatedtothecashewindustry.

VINACAS is a founding member of the Global Cashew Council(GCC).

Effective contribution to the cashew industry development policy

Since its establishment, VINACAS has proposed and recommended many guidelinesandpoliciestodevelopthe cashew industry. Especially, with the recommendation of VINACAS and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 120/1999/QDTTg dated May 7, 1999 on approving the Scheme on Development of cashew industry untilThis was 2010. the legal basis and motivation for the industry to transform itself, creating a new development page for cashew tree and cashew kernel export processing industry. After that, in

2014, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision No. 3993/QD-BNN-TT dated September 18, 2014 on approving the Scheme on Sustainable Development of Vietnam Cashew Industry until 2020. In 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision No. 579/QD-BNN-TT on the cashew industry development planning until 2020 and an orientation to 2030. These were strategic decisions and practice that help the cashew industry makeastrongbreakthrough.

During its operation, VINACAS has always actively contributed ideas to draft policies and schemes of ministries and branches related to the cashew industry. VINACAS coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Science and Technology and related industries to complete the Vietnamese Standards for raw cashew nut (TCVN 12380: 2018), published in late 2018. These standards have an important meaning in inspecting and evaluating the quality of imported raw cashew nuts and is the basis for handling commercial disputes, contributing to ensuring the production and business efficiency of enterprises and brand of Vietnamcashewindustry.

For many years, VINACAS has cooperated with local authorities to implement a program of hybridization and renovation of casheworchardsinBinhPhuoc,Dong Nai, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong provinces, which helps improve productivity and quality of cashew orchards, helps farmers feel secure in intensive cultivation of cashew trees, therebypreservinglandandforests.

Dissemination of policies and recommendations to promptly remove difficulties for enterprises

VINACAS regularly sends representatives to attend seminars, conferences, face-toface and online briefings of a number of related ministries and branches to update information and promptly disseminatetomembers.

Policies affecting the cashew industry have been promptly notified to members by VINACAS. With inappropriate policies, VINACAS represents member enterprises to criticize and propose to consider and adjust, such as regulations on plant quarantine with imported raw cashew nuts at ports (in 2019 ); works with enterprises and foreign partners to find solutions to problems related to new regulations of Europe on maximum residues of pesticidesandmineraloil(2022)...

Especially in 2022, VINACAS supported enterprises to take back their goods and minimize damage in the case of "scammed cashew kernels exported to Italy"...

Promptandaccuratemarketinformation

VINACAS always focuses on providing practical and timely information as a basis for members and develop to compare with other sources appropriate business plans based on specific situations and conditions . VINACAS updated information about the world and domestic market regularly on the internal newsletterandontheAssociation'swebsite.

Especially, from 2019, VINACAS Information Council had more leading enterprises to directly provide contentsforinternalnewsletters.Asa result, the newsletters had accurate market information and make comments, assessments, forecasts about the market and recommendations for members to refer to, thereby making appropriate productionandbusinessdecisions.

Trade promotion, market developmentandbrandpromotion

Trade promotion and market development programs are regularly and continuously implemented by VINACAS, including organization of seminars, attendance of domestic and international conferences related to the cashew industry; successful implementation of national trade promotion programs. In which a number of programs resonate not only domestically but also in the world, spreading the brand with the message of "Talking about cashew nut, thinking about Vietnam", such as Vietnam - Binh Phuoc Golden Cashew Festival, Vietnam Cashew Value Forum. Especially, the annual VINACAS GoldenCashewRendezvoushasbeen (asofheld11times 2019) and has become a with increasing efficiency "rendezvous" for participants in the global cashew value chain.

For the domestic market, the program "Vietnam Cashew Value" promoted the nutritional value of cashew nuts to help stimulate demand for cashew kernels. For the past years, the Association has been continuing to coordinatewiththeMinistryofIndustryandTradetobuild and promote the Vietnam cashew brand, actively participate in the group of 9 key export products of Vietnam's agricultural industry and the program "Food of Vietnam” chaired by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, at the same time, support brand promotion for members, announce prestigious brands annually chaired and recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, organize a National Conference to honor good cashew farmers.

Science and technology development. Diversificationofdeeplyprocessedproducts

Advanced and modern machinery "Made in Vietnam" has been used for most of the cashew nut processing stages in Vietnam. This achievement comes from efforts of many generations of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers and technical workers who have always been creative and constantly innovative,inwhichVINACASplaysanimportantrole.

In 2008, VINACAS Science and Technology Board implemented the State-level Science and Technology Program "Improving technology, designing and manufacturing automatic cashew shelling machine and testa peeling machine in export cashew kernel processing line" (Code KC.07.DA13/06-10). In 2011, the program was successfully completed, facilitating strong promotion of the development of cashew processing equipment and technology; helping Vietnam cashew industry affirm its position in the global cashew value chain.

VINACAS organized many conferences and seminars on science - technology related to the cashew industry, especially the variety stage. As a result, many cashew varieties were selected and put into production withayieldof2.5-3tons/hawithlargenutsize.

From a country that only exported raw cashew nuts, with the orientation from VINACAS leaders, for recent years, the cashew industry has promoted deep processing, such as salted roasted, buttered roasted, spiced, honey cashew nuts...; implemented research program on production and export of by-products from cashew trees, cashew nuts, such as plywood, cashew nut shell liquid ... These production research projects contributedtoincreasingaddedvalueanddiversifyingthe industry'sproducts.

Promotion of activities of the Commercial DisputeMediationCouncil

During the operation, VINACAS always focuses on the method of mediation for commercial disputes, helping enterprises proactively settle disputes in the spirit of mutual understanding, cooperationandsharingdifficulties,therebycontinuingto keep the partnership, do business together and develop, contribute to building a healthy business environment and sustainabledevelopment.

Due to increasing commercial disputes, in 2018, the Standing Executive Members' Board of VINACAS strengthened and promoted the activities of the Commercial Dispute Mediation Council. Enterprises had sense of choosing mediation methods more than before andbelievedintheintermediaryroleofVINACAS.

Strengthening of international cooperation, improvementofskillsforenterprisesandfarmers

VINACAS signed and implemented cooperation agreements with cashew associations of countries in the US, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, India, Nigeria... to strengthen linkage and cooperation for mutual development. Implementation of these agreements helped the parties have a better mutual understanding, facilitate enterprises of the parties to cooperate in investment and business more effectively, better settle disputes, thereby contributing to the developmentofnationalandinternalcashewindustry.

Implementing a memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, in 2018, VINACAS sent consulting, training and technical support experts to cashew enterprises and Cambodian cashew growers and presented 18,000 Vietnam's elite cashew seedlings to Cambodia for supporting the development of high-quality cashewmaterialareas.

In 2019, VINACAS collaborated with Norway Ethical Trading Initiative (IEH) to organize training for medium and large processors on social dialogue mechanism to raise awareness of processing companies, especially subcontractors on national and international labor standards. VINACAS also collaborated with IEH and the Center for Counseling on Social Programs and Community Development to organize training on good agricultural practices, labor standards and environmental management for agricultural extension staff, farmers' association, leaders of cashew cooperatives and good cashew farmers in communes in Binh Phuoc province, organized pilot training courses for farmers in districts of Binh Phuoc province. This was a program within the framework of "Capacity building towards sustainable developmentinthecashewsupplychaininVietnam".