The northern province of Ha Nam will offer all possible support to Japanese agriculture investors, Secretary of its Party Committee Mai Tien Dung assured visiting Japanese businesses on May 26.

The support will include electricity and water supply, transport, and security since Ha Nam regards agriculture as one of the key economic development tasks, Dung said, adding that the province has been encouraging hi-tech farming investment by Japanese firms.

Dung suggested the Japanese side partnering with local people or working on land licensed by local authorities.

The locality has zoned off a riverside 1,000ha plot for clean vegetable and fruit cultivation, a location convenient for irrigation and travelling, he said.

Small scale farms should be piloted, with quality seedling varieties provided by the Japanese companies, he said, adding the successful model will be multiplied, eying export deals.

Suzuki Tooru, Director of Mitsui Bussan Vietnam Ltd, which engages in global farm produce procurement, processing and distribution, said the company plans to grow safe rice using made-in-Japan seedlings and fertilisers.

He said the project will improve rice output and farmers’ income for certain.

Currently, potatoes, vegetables, soy beans and pumpkins grown in Ha Nam are popular in the Japanese market.-VNA