A farm produces safe vegetables in accordance with VietGap criteria. (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – A mere 3.3 percent of agricultural businesses nationwide are investing in technological development, as heard at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 24.
There percentage equals 1,090 out of 33,000 enterprises, with overall investment worth more than 4.4 billion VND (195,433 USD).
The low figure is stemmed mainly from investment risks and capital shortage, explained Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Head of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)’s Science, Technology and Environment Department.
She also pointed to poor intellectual property protection and a few incentives for corporate research activities in the country.
According to MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh, a lack of advanced technologies hinders products’ added value and quality when market changes following signed free trade agreements.
The ministry has proposed policies in favour of research and technological applications in agriculture, which are expected to generate long-term benefits for the sector.
These policies will focus on incentives in terms of finance, land, infrastructure, taxes and others, Doanh said.-VNA
