Rural, agricultural and fishery census to begin in July 1

Can Tho (VNA) - A census for rural areas, in agriculture and fishery will be carried out nationwide over 30 days, beginning from July 1, heard a conference in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 4.

General Statistics Office General Director Nguyen Bich Lam, who is head of the steering committee for the census said the survey will focus on information related to agriculture, forestry, salt making and fishery, detailing the number of production units and labourers, the labour structure and production scale.

This will also target the economic structure in rural areas, the reality of infrastructure for rural socio-economic development, the living condition of rural residents and vocational training for the rural workforce.

According to the Steering Committee; socio-economic statistics, especially those related to rural areas agriculture and fisheries – these areas accounts for 17-18 percent of the national GDP – is an indispensable tool for building strategies and policies for the socio-economic development of the nation and localities as well.

It aims to outline a database of agricultural and rural-related issues, thus serving further intensive research in the fields and the implementation of a number of annual planned censuses.

Preliminary statistics from the census will be released by the end of this year, and official results will be announced by the third quarter of next year.-VNA