On September 1, in a press conference to report the results of the monthly Governmental meeting, Head of the Office of the Government, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the meeting had reviewed a report on socio-economic development in August and in the first eight months of 2009, a plan to develop nuclear power in Vietnam until 2030, a zoning plan to develop golf courses until 2020; and some other laws and decrees.

The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has announced a new regulation on the registration process for rice export contracts in the second half this year.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has decided that enterprises must obtain quotas from the ministry if they wish to re-export fertilizer. Vietnamese companies call the decision "irrational interference with the market," especially at a time that fertilizer is in abundant supply, reports Tien Phong newspaper. MOIT insists it made the right decision.

As the wheels of Vietnam's export machine to the U.S. and Europe begin to slow, local shippers are turning their attention to the often overlooked neighboring market of Cambodia.

Recently, the Institute for Market and Price Research under the Ministry of Finance held a workshop in Hanoi to analyze market and price changes in the first six months of 2009 and make forecasts for the second half of the year. At this workshop, Doan Thi Mai, an institute official, predicted that agricultural exports in the remaining months of 2009 will be high.

Vietnam imports more from China than it does from anywhere else and China is Vietnam's third largest export market. How to get the Chinese to buy more Vietnamese products was a subject of the Northern Border Province Leaders' Conference To Boost Exports to China that was held on July 24, 2009, at the head office of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The lack of technical barriers to prevent low and dubious quality imports was hurting the local economy, a conference in HCM City heard yesterday.

The Science and Technology Service of the central province of Quang Tri began construction of a center to test the quality of import and export goods in the Lao Bao special economic and trade zone on July 14.

Co-operation between Vietnam and Thailand to stabilise rice prices will give both countries a better chance to negotiate sales contracts, President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association Chookiat Ophaswongse, said on July 13.

VietNamNet Bridge - Fruit exports to China are running smoothly after a new quality assurance program obligated growers and packagers to register with the northern neighbor this week, officials said.