Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has demanded expeditious approval of a master plan on sustainable cultivation of macadamia, dubbed “Queen of Nuts” indigenous to Australia.

At his request, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for monitoring seed quality and facilitating farmer-business joint ventures in collaboration with agencies and localities.

Well-known for its nutritional value and high concentration of mono-unsaturated fats, macadamia was introduced to Vietnam in 2002 for trial cultivation in several Central Highlands provinces, including Lam Dong, Dak Nong and Dak Lak.

After more than a decade under trial farming, it was found that Vietnam produced a higher yield of macadamias than other countries.

Local scientists have tested and found that the northwestern and Central Highlands regions have conditions best suited for the plant's growth.

The plant has so far covered over 2,000ha in the Central Highlands.

The project aims to turn macadamia into a key industrial plant in the Central Highlands region, which can provide a stable source of income for the farmers and turn the region into a "macadamia kingdom" in Southeast Asia.-VNA