A seminar was held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 6 to discuss measures to boost the export of hand-made Vietnamese products to Japan.

Handicraft and fine arts firms have been sitting idle over the last several months because they have no orders or cannot accept them with the low export prices. IKEA is one of the few highlights.

Poor processing technology and the unavailability of raw materials have been cited as the major reasons hampering Vietnam's handicraft exports, economists said.

Bamboo is ubiquitous in the Vietnamese countryside. Almost all villages are surrounded by bamboo hedges. Images of bamboo are attached to childhood, while a bamboo cane is a good companion to support old people when walking. Among them is Phu Vinh craft village in Chuong My district, Hanoi.

Vietnam is a country rich in handicraft products, thanks to the hardworking, dexterous, and creative qualities of the Vietnamese people. For a very long time, handicraft products have been a source of culturalpride and a source of income for the people.