Can Tho (VNA) – A delegation led by Kazakh Ambassador to Vietnam Kanat Tumysh paid a working visit to the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on July 16 to explore the possibility of developing an integrated industrial complex applying technology to recycle agricultural by-products.
According to the delegation, the proposed project would use rice husks as its primary feedstock, with an estimated one million tonnes processed annually using advanced technology developed in Kazakhstan. At present, the top priority is to secure a stable supply of raw materials from rice-producing provinces across the Mekong Delta.
Speaking at the working session with the municipal People's Committee, Tumysh said the visit opened up prospects for cooperation between partners from the two countries in agriculture, energy and transport. He noted that the proposed industrial complex, which would recycle rice husks into value-added products, would make a meaningful contribution to the development of a green economy.
The ambassador also invited leaders of Can Tho to visit Kazakhstan to explore cooperation opportunities and discuss the signing of a partnership agreement with a city in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh side expressed its hope that, once the project is implemented, the city would support the transport of raw materials and ensure a stable electricity supply for the plant, which is expected to begin operations in 2027. Given the project's large scale, the investor also hopes to recruit local specialists in chemistry, energy and metallurgy.
Meanwhile, a representative of the municipal People's Committee briefed the delegation on the city's socio-economic development as well as its potential and development orientations in trade, services, logistics, education, healthcare, science and technology.
With strong agricultural advantages, particularly in rice production, Can Tho cultivates more than 700,000 hectares of rice annually, producing around 4.6 million tonnes of paddy and generating abundant agricultural by-products. The city is also home to 136 rice milling and processing enterprises, providing a substantial supply of rice husks to support the development of processing industries and the circular economy.
The municipal authorities welcomed the interest shown by the Kazakh partner, particularly the proposal to develop an integrated industrial complex using agricultural by-product recycling technology.
Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Truong Canh Tuyen said the project would bring practical benefits to rice producers. He noted that the city is implementing a project to develop one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta, while gradually shifting from agricultural production to an agricultural economy that creates greater added value.
Besides rice, agricultural by-products play an increasingly important role in improving farmers' incomes, he said.
The provincial leader voiced his support for the proposed project and agreed that the two sides should move towards signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU). He assigned the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs to serve as the focal point for coordinating and advising on the draft MoU.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment was tasked with reviewing land planning for the proposed project, while the Department of Finance will guide the investor through relevant investment procedures.
Can Tho is currently home to 123 valid foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total registered capital of nearly 7.1 billion USD. The city also has 10 operating industrial parks that are continuing to expand, providing a favourable foundation for the development of processing industries, green industries and circular economy./.
