President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central CommitteeNguyen Thien Nhan called for more support to Vietnamese craft villagesfor the sake of the national economy and culture during a workshop inHanoi on April 20.
As of the late 2014, the nationhad over 5,000 craft villages, more than 1,700 of which are accredited,notably the popular Van Phuc silk or Dong Ky wooden villages.
Last year, bamboo and rattan items brought home 250.6 million USD while ceramics and pottery took in 508.2 million USD.
As many as 38 of 63 provinces nationwide have approved a programme to preserve and develop craft villages.
According to the Departments of Industry and Trade based in 60 of 63provinces, there are nearly 2,900 industrial and handicraft villagesacross the country; about half are from Hanoi and employ roughly 800,000workers.
Participants expressed concerns about thesustainable development of craft villages, considering their weakcompetitiveness and limited access to markets, capital and technologicaladvances.
Since the ASEAN Economic Community andfree trade agreements are to come into effect later this year, craftvillages will inevitably face intense competition, they added.
Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang asked production andtrading facilities within villages to form plans to adjust designs andprices towards developing a set of technical standards for theirproducts.
Villages offering the same crafts shouldjoin together to consolidate their competitive strength, he said,suggesting a cooperative deal among the Ministries of Agriculture andRural Development, Natural Resources and Environment, and Industry andTrade, and the Vietnam Craft Village Association under the auspices ofthe VFF with a view to developing craft villages.
President Nhan concurred with proposals put forth at the event, sayingthe model of cooperatives or craft household-business joint ventureswill lower input costs and bring products to a wider market.
He also underscored the need to renew collaboration between ministries, agencies and localities for the cause.-VNA
As of the late 2014, the nationhad over 5,000 craft villages, more than 1,700 of which are accredited,notably the popular Van Phuc silk or Dong Ky wooden villages.
Last year, bamboo and rattan items brought home 250.6 million USD while ceramics and pottery took in 508.2 million USD.
As many as 38 of 63 provinces nationwide have approved a programme to preserve and develop craft villages.
According to the Departments of Industry and Trade based in 60 of 63provinces, there are nearly 2,900 industrial and handicraft villagesacross the country; about half are from Hanoi and employ roughly 800,000workers.
Participants expressed concerns about thesustainable development of craft villages, considering their weakcompetitiveness and limited access to markets, capital and technologicaladvances.
Since the ASEAN Economic Community andfree trade agreements are to come into effect later this year, craftvillages will inevitably face intense competition, they added.
Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang asked production andtrading facilities within villages to form plans to adjust designs andprices towards developing a set of technical standards for theirproducts.
Villages offering the same crafts shouldjoin together to consolidate their competitive strength, he said,suggesting a cooperative deal among the Ministries of Agriculture andRural Development, Natural Resources and Environment, and Industry andTrade, and the Vietnam Craft Village Association under the auspices ofthe VFF with a view to developing craft villages.
President Nhan concurred with proposals put forth at the event, sayingthe model of cooperatives or craft household-business joint ventureswill lower input costs and bring products to a wider market.
He also underscored the need to renew collaboration between ministries, agencies and localities for the cause.-VNA
