The central province of Quang Ngai has recorded significant socio-economic development achievements since it was re-established on July 1, 1989.
From an under-developed agriculture-based province, Quang Ngai has now become one of the localities posting high economic growth and per capita income.
In 2013, the province’s GDP increased more than 10 times compared to 1990 while the annual per capital income soared 112 times from 388,000 VND to 43.77 million VND.
The economic structure has shifted rapidly in the direction of industrialisation and modernisation, with agro-forestry-fishery now making up 15.29 percent of the economy compared to 55.68 percent back in 1990, while industry-construction accounts for 63.83 percent; and services, 20.88 percent.
In the 1990s, Quang Ngai had only 43 enterprises and factories and over 7,700 small industrial and handicraft establishments.
Now, the province is home to the Dung Quat Economic Zone with the country’s first oil refinery of Dung Quat, together with three industrial parks - Tinh Phong, Quang Phu and Pho Phong. There are more than 300 industrial factories and nearly 14,500 small-scale production establishments operating in the province.
Local industrial production enjoyed an annual growth of 20 percent per year in the 1990-2013 period. The growth rate was as high as 51 percent in the 2009-2013 period, with the operation of the Dung Quat Oil Refinery.
Quang Ngai has so far attracted 28 foreign invested projects with a total registered capital of more than 4 billion USD. Of which, 19 projects worth 3.94 billion USD are located in the Dung Quat Economic Zone.
At present, 11 FDI projects have become operational and 16 others are underway.
Quang Ngai has made continuous efforts to improve its investment environment. As a result, the province rose to the seventh place among 63 provinces and cities nationwide in the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) in 2013.
Other sectors such as trade, services and import-export have also seen remarkable developments. The production value of the service sector increased 12.3 times over 1990, posting an annual growth of over 11 percent.
Total export turnover rose from 834,000 USD in 1990 to 508.8 million USD in 2013, representing a 610-fold increase.
Around 40 local businesses are involved in import-export activities, shipping their mechanical and petrochemical products, electronic components, paper materials, wood furniture, processed seafood and confectioneries to more than 30 countries and territories.
With its strong economic development, the province has made increasingly greater contribution to the State budget, especially since the Dung Quat Oil Refinery was put into operation. Quang Ngai is now the fourth largest contributor to the State budget, channeled 30 trillion VND (1.43 billion USD) to the State coffer in 2013 (the figure was 22 billion VND in 1990).
Not lagging far behind other sectors, the agro-forestry-fishery sector has also registered continuous development with total production value expanding 3.58 percent after 25 years, or an annual growth of 5.46 percent.
Rice yield in the province increased from 2.65 tonnes per ha per year in the 1989-1990 period to 5.5 tonnes in 2013, thanks to intensive investment in irrigation works to ensure water for over 67,000 ha of agricultural land.
With advantages in fishing grounds, aquaculture and seafood processing, the province’s sea catch rose to 140,000 tonnes last year from 17,000 tonnes in 1990.
The number of fishing boats has continuously increased, reaching over 5,400 with a total capacity of 870,000 CV.
Seafood production has not only helped reduce poverty and improve the living standards for farmers and fishermen but also contributed to safeguarding the national sea and island sovereignty.
For a comprehensive development, Quang Ngai has also invested in electricity, post and telecommunication, transport, banking and social development.
At present, 92 percent of local residents have gained access to electricity. The province is also implementing a submarine cable project to provide power for the island district of Ly Son, which is expected to be completed later this year.
The volume of passenger transport has grown at an annual 11.2 percent while the figure for cargo transport is 14.43 percent.
The province is now served by a widespread banking network with 18 provincial-level branches of commercial banks, 14 district-level branches of the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank, 40 transaction points of banks and 13 people’s credit funds, in addition to a network of the Bank for Social Policy at provincial and district levels. Credit institutions in Quang Ngai mobilised 26.64 trillion VND (more than 1.2 billion USD) in 2013 and reported total lending of 30.62 trillion VND (more than 1.45 billion USD) last year.
Since its re-establishment, the province mobilised about 143 trillion VND (6.8 billion USD) in social development investment.
Transport infrastructure has received intensive investment. Quang Ngai now has four national roads with a total length of over 355km, together with 400km of provincial roads and nearly 160 km of urban roads. Nearly 67 percent of the 1,373km of district roads and nearly 48 percent of 2,000km of communal roads have been paved. All communes in the province have roads accessible by car.
According to Le Quang Thich, Acting Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the local authorities and people are making every effort to bring Quang Ngai to the top in the process of industrialisation and modernisation and international integration.
Quang Ngai will focus on the three breakthroughs of industrial, urban and human resources development while paying due attention to agricultural development and new rural building as well as socio-economic development and the rapid and sustainable poverty reduction in six mountainous districts, he said.
With great potential and advantages deriving from its location in the central key economic region and the East-West Corridor, the province will strive to fulfill ahead of schedule all tasks set by the 11th National Party Congress and the 18th Congress of the provincial Party Committee, the acting chairman added.
According to Thich, after 25 years of development, Quang Ngai has reaped great achievements, with improved people’s living standards and socio-economic strength as well as enhanced security and defence.
He expressed his belief that his locality will make strides in all aspects in the years to come, basically becoming a modern industrialised province by 2020.-VNA
