The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is striving to achieve a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 9 percent this year, equivalent to around 47 trillion VND (2.24 billion USD).

In the first half of the year, the city posted a 8.9 percent growth rate from the same period last year, worth nearly 23.4 trillion VND (1.11 billion USD). Trade-services contributed 12.8 trillion VND to the increase, industry – construction, 8.1 trillion VND and the remaining was from agriculture.

To achieve the goal, Can Tho will continue to implement several major plans on further developing road and waterway transport networks, ensuring power and water supply for production and completing infrastructure at industrial zones to attract more investment, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Bui Van Vy said at the department’s conference on July 7.

The city also plans to issue more support policies for rice, seafood and fruit processing industry to encourage the export of products with high added value.

From now to the end of this year, the city strives to process 170,000 tonnes of aquatic products and 2.3 million tonnes of rice. It will also turn out 19 million clothing items, 4.5 million pairs of footwear and 70,000 tonnes of fertiliser to bring its yearly industrial production value to 97.6 trillion VND (4.65 billion USD).

In terms of trade – services, Can Tho will give more support to local businesses to promote trade in foreign markets so as to achieve this year’s export goal of 1.65 billion USD, while expanding their domestic market share.

At the same time, the locality will strengthen cooperation with neighbouring provinces to bring into play the region’s strength in river cruise and orchard tours in developing tourism, aiming to attract 650,000 visitors in the last six months of this year.

The centrally-run Can Tho City is the hub of the Mekong Delta, which comprises of 12 provinces and one city with a total area of 40,000 square kilometres and a combined population of 18 million.-VNA