Hau Giang province in the Mekong River Delta has become an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign investors.

The province, which covers an area of about 2 million hectares running along the Hau River’s right bank, has land and infrastructure, to develop agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

The province includes the Xa No Canal, which is a strategic agricultural waterway dug a half century ago to exploit the uncultivated land of the Hau Giang region.

Forty kilometres in length, the canal’s rich alluvium has supplied rice paddies for years.

The canal, together with many other natural channels, has created a system of roads, waterways and irrigation networks for the province to develop agriculture and aquaculture.

Nguyen Van Thang, deputy chairman of the Hau Giang People’s Committee said the province’s biggest advantage is its agricultural potential.

The province has 80,000ha under rice farming, 70,000ha of which are used to grow high-yield rice strains, which can produce 1 million tonnes per year.

“Annually, Hau Giang exports between 350,000 and 400,000 tonnes,” he said. “Provincial authorities are calling for enterprises to invest in warehouses for rice reserves and processing, since these processes are in the worst condition.”

Tran Van Ven, chairman of the Southern Food Corporation’s Managing Board, said: “Since 2008, the company has begun to invest in rice production in Hau Giang for exports. We are developing two rice processing projects there and also are going to sign a 300 billion VND (15.8 million USD) contract to build a wholesale agro-product market and food storage warehouse.”

Hau Giang also has potential in aquaculture, especially in raising Thac lac fish, which is a speciality favoured by many people.

“Thac lac fish can become the province’s second export earner after tra fish, if it receives enough investment,” he said.

Like other provinces in the Mekong Delta, Hau Giang also has many kinds of fruit that are now major exports. They include Cau Duc pineapples, Phu Huu grapefruits and Long Tri mandarin oranges.

In addition to agricultural potential, many industrial enterprises are interested in the area.

Vu Quang Nam , deputy general director of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, said PetroVietnam had decided to build a 30 trillion VND thermo-electric plant in the province.

The corporation also plans to develop a fertiliser production network in the province to supply local farmers.

Thang said the province was calling for businesses to invest in infrastructure for local industrial parks and industrial production.

Developing eco-tourism will be a focus of the Hau Giang tourism sector, according to Nguyen Thanh Hung, director of the Hau Giang Trade and Tourism Service./.