Agricultural restructuring a tough task: official

Hanoi (VNA) – Agricultural restructuring must be paired with climate change response, natural resource and environmental protection, and new-style rural area building, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said.
  
At a working session on agricultural restructuring with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on August 25, the official said it was necessary to enhance links between businesses, farmers, cooperatives and localities to develop large-scale and high-value production areas.

He urged the agricultural sector to diversify its products and identify key products of regions and localities, stressing that agricultural restructuring is difficult and will require time.

MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the market is intended to serve as a momentum for agricultural production.

Ten national-level products with high value and sustainability will be selected for export, he said, adding that products at provincial and local levels will also be introduced to domestic and foreign markets.

The minister suggested developing a policy framework stipulating the management of production.

MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh said more investment will be poured into infrastructure, irrigation and key agricultural projects to raise product quality and competitiveness.

Hoang Thanh Van, head of the MARD’s Husbandry Department, stressed the need to study policies to support businesses, diversify science-technology and encourage the participation of economic sectors in agricultural restructuring.

Highlighting breakthroughs in land-related policy development, Dang Kim Son, former Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, suggested planting trees with high economic value and developing aquaculture areas in rice fields.

The ministry reported that the farming sector’s annual GDP grew 2.83 percent on average with total export turnover hitting 88.3 billion USD from 2013-2015.-VNA