Building int'l brand beneficial to products: official Building international brand for craft village products in Hanoi would contribute to developing craft villages and promoting products, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa has said. Brand name plays an important role in the development of handicraft products, the official was quoted by the Vietnam Economic Times as saying at her recent meeting with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade. Craft villages and their products are the capital’s specific characteristic, she said, adding that Hanoi should focus on developing craft villages, closely managing product quality and promoting the building of international brand for products. She suggested Hanoi choose a specific product to build international brand. The ministry will coordinate with state management agencies and units to support copyright registration, she added. “We do not need to build many brands at the same time. The building of international brand for a product will significantly contribute to promoting the brand of Hanoi craft villages." Hanoi has paid special attention to building brand and advertising products for over years. The city’s efforts have been recognised by visitors and foreign importers. Bamboo and rattan products, embroidery and silk have been exported. In particular, companies in craft villages such as Bat Trang Ceramic Village, Van Phuc Silk Village and Ha Thai Lacquer Village have signed contracts with foreign businesses. However, due to the lack of brand name, products have not been yet sold at higher prices. Duc Phong company director Thai Dai Phong said that while labeling international brand, foreign companies could sell products at higher prices. According to the department’s statistics, the city has 1,350 craft villages, of which 286 villages have been recognised. In recent years, especially since 2009, craft villages have strongly developed. The number of manufacturing facilities in craft villages rises to 175,889 compared to 163,150 in 2009, while that of companies and cooperatives in Hanoi craft villages has also strongly increased with 2,063 joint stock companies, 4,562 limited liability companies, 1,466 private companies and 164 cooperatives. The rapid development of the villages has also greatly contributed to the capital’s economic development. Hanoi craft villages’ industrial production index in 2013 reached 12.2 trillion VND (173.4 million USD), an increase of 4.55 trillion VND compared to 2009. Thuong Tin district’s Ha Thai Lacquer Village, Gia Lam district’s Bat Trang Ceramic Village and Thach That district’s Chang Son Carpentry Village recorded high industrial production index in 2013. Head of the d epartment’s Bureau of Small Scale Industry Management and Trade Village Trinh Thi Hong Loan said that thanks to efforts of the city’s industry and trade sector, craft villages have strongly developed. The city has focused on supporting vocational training, trade promotion, technology application in production and infrastructure for craft villages. In the 2009-2013 period, Hanoi industry promotion organised vocational training for 43,850 workers and supported 24 projects to innovate machinery and equipment. In addition, thanks to trade promotion funding, Hanoi organised trade fairs to introduce handicraft products and craft villages in the city.-VNA