Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi has called on Brazilian businesses to actively support negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), helping expand market access, boost trade and deepen investment cooperation between the two sides.
Nghi made the call at the 2026 Seafood Show Latin America and meetings with Brazilian associations, corporations and businesses, as part of his working visit to São Paulo from October 18-22.
Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Meeting with representatives of the Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism of the State of São Paulo (Fecomercio-SP) and the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), Nghi said there was significant untapped potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Brazil.
He called on the organisations to strengthen business links, promote business opportunities in Vietnam and support efforts to advance negotiations on the PTA.
The two sides also discussed organising seminars, online business-matching sessions and business delegations to better tap into each other’s market potential.
Speaking at the 2026 Seafood Show Latin America, the ambassador highlighted the event’s role in connecting producers, processors, importers and distributors, helping Vietnamese businesses expand their presence in Brazil and across Latin America.
Fourteen Vietnamese businesses participated in the event, including nine members of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
On the sidelines of the event, Nghi encouraged Brazilian businesses to increase imports of Vietnamese seafood and promote direct links between suppliers and distribution partners.
The two sides also discussed challenges related to tariffs, product testing and customs clearance times, with a view to facilitating trade.
During a meeting with JBS, one of the world’s leading meat and animal-based food processors and distributors, Nghi urged the Brazilian group to expand procurement, diversify its product range and strengthen ties with Vietnamese suppliers.
The two sides looked into opportunities to introduce more Vietnamese seafood, food products and processed tropical fruits into JBS’s distribution network in Brazil, better tapping into local market demand.
In July 2025, JBS exported its first shipment of Brazilian beef to Vietnam, weighing 27 tonnes. The group also announced plans to invest 100 million USD in building two facilities in Vietnam to process beef, pork and poultry for domestic and Southeast Asian markets.
The diplomate also met with Brazilian businesses in the technology, energy, infrastructure and investment sectors, encouraging stronger cooperation, technology transfer and the development of joint projects.
Some Brazilian companies expressed interest in investment opportunities and joint ventures with Vietnamese partners, and said they planned to send delegations to Vietnam in early 2027 to explore the market.
Vietnam and Brazil elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership in November 2024. As bilateral cooperation continues to expand, progress in negotiations on the PTA is expected to provide fresh impetus to trade, diversify supply sources and broaden business opportunities for companies on both sides./.