The ministry has issued instruction No8/CT-BCT about pushing exports and enlarging markets to meet the country's annual export target of US$60 billion.
Sectors involved are mainly garments and textiles, footwear, seafood, wood products, arts and handicrafts and processed food.
Promotion activities were scheduled to take place mainly in Toronto and Mexico City.
The North American Free Trade Area, with a population of 520 million, is considered as a key export market of Viet Nam. Canada and Mexico are big markets for Vietnamese goods behind the US, which accounts for 82.5 per cent of Viet Nam's export turnover to the area.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Pham Van Que said two-way trade between Mexico and Viet Nam surged from $60 million in 2001 to nearly $720 million last year, $600 million of which were exports to Mexico.
The main exports were garments, footwear, seafood, printing-machines, sports equipment and wooden products.
Que expected that following the first session of the Mexico-Viet Nam Joint Business Committee in Mexico recently, trade between the two countries would increase significantly.
He said the session was the start of a partnership for sustainable development between the two countries.
Last year's trade turnover between Viet Nam and Canada reached $1.3 billion, $1 billion of which were Viet Nam's exports to Canada.
The ministry predicted that the country's export volume to Mexico and Canada would rise dramatically in the next three months, especially of vegetables and fruits.
Viet Nam shipped fruit worth $2.8 million to Mexico and Canada in July this year alone, up 21.7 per cent on the same period last year. — VNS
.jpg "Photo: N/A")