President Truong Tan Sang has urged the Mekong delta province of An Giang to have suitable policies for rice cultivation areas and farmers to ensure sustainable development and food security, strengthening its key position in the region.

The State leader made the request while working with the provincial leaders during his visit to An Giang on December 16-17.

The President praised the province’s efforts in overcoming natural disasters’ aftermath, expanding cultivation areas, growing high-quality rice and increasing tra and ba sa fish output by 12 percent compared to the same period last year.

Regarding the building of new-styled rural areas that the province is implementing, the President said for successful implementation of the programme, local authorities need to encourage local people’s participation.

To successfully implement socio-economic development targets for the 2011-2015 period, President Sang recommended that the province to boost industrialisation of agricultural production and exploit its potentials in border economy and tourism.

In 2011, An Giang province attained an economic growth of 11 percent, a per capita income of 27.3 million VND and an export turnover of 830 million USD.

The province sets the targets of posting an economic growth of 12.5 percent, a GDP per capita of 33.8 million VND and reducing poverty rate by 2 percent in 2012./.