Bihar food MSMEs seek Vietnamese buyers for makhana, rice and sattu

Ten Bihar businesses present products in Ho Chi Minh City

Ten entrepreneurs from the Indian state of Bihar have presented agricultural and processed food products to Vietnamese buyers, importers and distributors at an India-Vietnam trade promotion and networking event in Ho Chi Minh City. The Bihar Department of Industries supported the delegation, while the Trade Promotion Council of India organised the event at the Le Méridien hotel.

According to Amar Ujala, the programme was opened by Vipra Pandey, India’s consul general in Ho Chi Minh City, in the presence of the president of the Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam and representatives of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce. The event was designed to connect Indian exporters with Vietnamese commercial partners and provide Bihar’s small businesses with direct exposure to a new overseas market.

Makhana and Katarni rice draw buyer interest

The delegation covered a broad range of packaged and primary food products. OCB Cakes displayed millet cookies; Moso International Private Limited and Madhubani Makhana presented makhana; and Ripuraj Agro Private Limited and Patliputra Farm Products showcased rice. Agrifeeder Agricultural Services Private Limited brought Katarni rice, herbal tea and sattu, while GoRural Foods and Beverages Private Limited presented sattu sachets.

Other participants included Natural Bee Farm with honey, Anantjeet with canned foods and Daniel Magnus with spices. Amar Ujala reported particularly strong interest in makhana, Katarni rice, millet-based foods, honey, spices, sattu and other value-added products. Jagran similarly said Vietnamese buyers and importers showed special interest in these categories and that meetings generated opportunities for export orders, long-term partnerships and access to additional markets. Neither publication disclosed confirmed order volumes, contract values, prices or delivery schedules.

Market test for export-oriented MSMEs

The initiative gives Bihar’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises a chance to test product-market fit directly with Vietnamese importers. For suppliers of regional products such as makhana, Katarni rice and sattu, commercial progress will depend on turning expressions of interest into repeat orders and meeting buyer requirements for packaging, shelf life, certification, pricing and distribution. The range presented also indicates that Bihar is pursuing both commodity sales and higher-value packaged foods rather than relying on a single product.

Bihar’s Department of Industries described participation in international trade events as part of its effort to connect local MSMEs with global markets, promote exports and position the state as a reliable source of agricultural and processed foods. Industry Secretary Kundan Kumar said the department had sent the entrepreneurs to the TPCI-organised event. The immediate outcome is new buyer contact rather than a measurable export breakthrough: the sources report commercial opportunities and positive feedback, but provide no evidence yet of completed shipments. Follow-through by the participating companies and Vietnamese distributors will therefore determine whether the promotion produces sustained trade flows.