Agriculture ministry fulfills majority of assigned tasks

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) fulfilled 352 out of 503 tasks assigned by the government as of November 10, it reported during a working session in Hanoi on November 21 with the Prime Minister’s working group.

Up to 128 tasks are being completed, 14 of them are overdue, which is partly attributed to legal regulations.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong vowed to fulfil the work at the earliest.

As agro-forestry-fisheries account for 23 percent of the gross domestic product, Minister and head of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung requested efforts to build mechanisms and accelerate the implementation of three decrees issued by the Directorate of Fisheries.

The PM directs absolutely blocking attempts to expose any legal loophole, Dung stressed.

On the occasion, Dung lauded Minister Cuong for directing drastic actions to deal with the aftermath of climate change and marine environment incident in the central region.

The sector enjoyed positive growth in the third quarter of this year after posting negative one in the first and second quarters, which Dung said, reflected its strong efforts.

According to Minister Dung, the primary task is restructuring agriculture, but businesses are finding it hard to access land and credit.

The medium and long-term interest of 9.1 percent a year is quite risky for borrowers because agriculture much relies on weather, he said.

Given drought in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and severe cold spells in northern mountainous region, Dung conveyed the PM’s suggestion to the ministry to better make forecasts and active cope with disasters and changing climate.

Another important priority is the campaign on building new-style rural areas. Dung said localities pay more attention to building infrastructure instead of improving local livelihoods, which has resulted in increasing public debts.

Moreover, several criteria for new rural construction are inappropriate, he said.

On food hygiene and safety, the PM agreed with Ho Chi Minh City’s proposal to pilot a food safety control board which will take over relevant jobs done by the departments of Public Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Industry and Trade.

In the face of overlapping fertiliser management, the Government Office suggested that the MARD should oversee both organic and inorganic fertiliser markets.

As regards forest protection and forestry development, the MARD was assigned to issue the PM’s directions to shut down natural forests in the Central Highlands to maintain existing coverage.

Dung also asked the MARD to offer support to fishermen affected by the environment incident in the four central provinces and promptly deal with unsold fish stock.

In his report, Minister Cuong admitted that over the past 30 years of renewal, Vietnam’s agriculture still relies on farming households with limited productivity, product quality and farmers’ income.

He pledged that more capital will be poured into key local produce in the foreseeable future and credit will be loosened for borrowers.-VNA