The Viet Nam - Laos Product Week in Ha Noi, jointly organised by the Department of Internal Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Laos and the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam, will take place from October 1 - 4, 2026, offering practical opportunities for trade and business connections. On this occasion, the Newspaper of Industry and Trade had an interview with Som Sai Nong Nath, Lao Economic and Commercial Counsellor in Viet Nam.

Practical significance of the Viet Nam - Laos Product Week in Ha Noi

- The Viet Nam - Laos Product Week in Ha Noi will feature and directly sell more than 100 products from the two countries at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street in early October. How do you assess the significance of the event in promoting Lao goods in the Vietnamese market, and what are the Lao side's key expectations from its participation in the program?

Som Sai Nong Nath: First of all, I highly appreciate the initiative of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam in coordinating with the Department of Domestic Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Laos to organise the Viet Nam - Laos Product Week in Ha Noi. In my view, this is not only an implementation of the 2025 memorandum of understanding between the two sides, but also a practical trade promotion activity, as the program not only creates a space for the two sides to work and exchange with each other, but also enables businesses from both countries to introduce their products and bring goods directly to consumers.

For Laos, having Lao products introduced, displayed and sold directly at a central location in Ha Noi is a very good opportunity for Lao businesses to gain a better understanding of the Vietnamese market, from consumer preferences, prices, designs and packaging to quality requirements and distribution methods. This is particularly important because effective trade promotion is not merely about introducing products, but must also help businesses understand the market and find a sustainable way to bring their products into the market.

Viet Nam - Laos trade relations have made positive progress in recent years. In 2025, two-way trade reached USD 2.98 billion, up 32.7% from 2024 and the highest level ever recorded. In the first eight months of 2026, trade in goods between the two countries exceeded USD 1.64 billion, down 24.61% year on year. The two sides have also agreed to promote solutions towards the goal of reaching USD 4 billion in bilateral trade in 2026 and continue working towards USD 10 billion by 2030.

Against this backdrop, the Lao side expects the Viet Nam - Laos Product Week to create an additional channel for Lao goods to gain deeper access to the Vietnamese market. However, our expectations do not stop at selling products during the four-day event. More importantly, the Product Week should lead to new connections, new orders, and new importers and distributors afterwards.

Product potential and lessons in improving competitiveness

- In your view, which groups of Lao products are expected to have good potential for reaching Vietnamese consumers? What advantages do Lao goods have in terms of quality, product characteristics and cultural value, and what limitations need to be addressed to improve competitiveness and expand market share in Viet Nam?

Som Sai Nong Nath: In my view, a number of Lao product groups have significant potential in the Vietnamese market, including agricultural products and processed foods, such as coffee and various types of tea, particularly 400-year-old ancient tea originating from the mountainous area of Phongsaly province and 1,000-year-old Phu San ancient tea, as well as Kai Noy sticky rice from Houaphanh and Xieng Khouang provinces, dried beef and distinctive agricultural products from different localities. Another group with potential is handicrafts, traditional textiles and products reflecting Lao cultural identity.

I affirm that one of the advantages of Lao goods is their ability to build stories around their origins and identity. In current consumer trends, consumers are increasingly interested in where products come from, how they are produced, whether the ingredients are safe and what distinctive value the products offer. This is an area that Lao businesses need to make better use of. However, we also recognise that, for Lao goods to gain recognition among consumers in the Vietnamese market, Lao businesses still need to make greater efforts.

Solutions to turn promotional opportunities into substantive contracts

- The display and direct sales activities held as part of the Product Week will create opportunities for Lao businesses to reach Vietnamese consumers. In your view, what additional trade connection and promotion activities are needed to turn the promotional opportunities at the event into distribution contracts, stable orders and long-term cooperative relations between businesses from the two countries?

Som Sai Nong Nath: I believe this is a decisive factor in determining the effectiveness of trade promotion activities. A trade promotion event will be much more meaningful if businesses can sign contracts, secure orders and maintain cooperative relationships after the event. Therefore, in addition to product display and direct sales activities, we need to shift more strongly towards practical trade connections and post-event follow-up.

First, more B2B programs should be organised to directly connect Lao businesses with importers, distributors, supermarket systems, retail chains, specialty stores, e-commerce businesses, restaurants, hotels and processing enterprises in Viet Nam.

Second, value-chain connections should be strengthened. We should not only connect sellers with buyers, but also establish links spanning raw material areas, production, processing, logistics, distribution and consumers.

Third, e-commerce and digital trade promotion should be leveraged more strongly. A product introduced during the Product Week can reach only a certain number of consumers within a short period. However, if the product continues to be promoted on digital platforms afterwards and is supported by an appropriate distribution system, its market reach will be much greater.

What is particularly important is that, after the Product Week, the two agencies of the two ministries should compile a list of businesses that have been connected, monitor the exchange process, support businesses in addressing issues related to standards, procedures and logistics, and continue introducing suitable partners.

Prospects for cooperation and orientations for bilateral trade development

- As the two countries continue to promote economic and trade cooperation, what are your expectations for the prospects of Vietnamese and Lao goods gaining deeper access to each other's markets?

Som Sai Nong Nath: I expect that in the coming period, goods from the two countries will gain deeper access to each other's markets, not only in terms of volume but also in terms of product variety, quality and added value through official channels.

For Laos, we want to bring more Lao products with competitive advantages into the Vietnamese market, particularly agricultural products, food, coffee, tea, processed products, handicrafts and products reflecting Lao cultural characteristics. At the same time, we will continue to encourage and facilitate Vietnamese businesses in expanding their business operations, investment and cooperation in Laos, particularly in areas where the two sides can complement each other, such as agriculture, agricultural processing, industry, energy, logistics, trade and services, while expanding the retail distribution chain for Vietnamese goods in Laos.

From my perspective, not all trade opportunities are concentrated in major cities. Provinces and cities in Viet Nam have different import needs, while localities in Laos also have their own strengths. If we can connect the needs of each locality with the production capacity of each locality, we will create a broader and more substantive trade network.

Viet Nam and Laos are not only two markets for each other's goods, but can also become complementary links in the region's production, supply and distribution chains. Laos has advantages in resources, agriculture, energy and its position as a link to markets in the region. Viet Nam has strengths in production, processing, industry, distribution systems, logistics and consumer markets. If these strengths can be combined, businesses from the two countries will not only serve the Vietnamese and Lao markets but can also jointly access third-country markets.

That is also the direction we want to promote in the coming period: from trade connections to value-chain connections; from short-term transactions to long-term cooperation; and from product promotion to brand and market development.

- Thank you very much!

The 2026 Viet Nam - Laos Product Week in Ha Noi will not only provide a diverse exhibition space featuring more than 100 distinctive products, including coffee, ancient tea, agricultural products and handicrafts, but also serve as a strategic lever for businesses from the two countries to enhance their competitiveness.