Deputy PM asks for stronger forest protection

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged localities nationwide to give priority in allocating investment to forest protection and planting, with the goal of fulfilling all targets of forest conservation and development for 2015.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged localities nationwide togive priority in allocating investment to forest protection andplanting, with the goal of fulfilling all targets of forest conservationand development for 2015.

He asked the localities tospeed up the restructuring of the forest sector, focusing on the fourprioritised tasks of increasing productivity, quality and value ofplanted forests; improving value added for processed wood; boostingcooperative and chain production models in the sector; and broadeningthe wood market.

At the same time, it is necessary to rollout drastic measures to prevent and fight forest fires as well ascombat deforestation activities, while strengthening State management onforestland and inspection over wood processing facilities, hecommented.

Last year, all key targets of the forestprotection and development plan were fulfilled, with preservation workreaching 118 percent, and forest planting completing 108 percent of theplan.

Forestry exports were equal to 122.5 percent of theyearly plan, while forest violation cases reduced by 6 percent over theprevious year.

Meanwhile, the Deputy PM demanded theexpeditious approval of a master plan on sustainable cultivation ofmacadamia, dubbed the “Queen of Nuts” and indigenous to Australia .

At his request, the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development is responsible for monitoring seed quality andfacilitating farmer-business joint ventures in collaboration withagencies and localities.

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

After more than a decade under trialfarming, it was found that Vietnam produced a higher yield ofmacadamias than other countries.

Local scientists have tested and found that the northwestern andCentral Highlands regions have conditions best suited for the plant'sgrowth.

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

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