PM Phan Van Khai urges econ. restructuring in agriculture
Ha Noi, Oct. 31 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Wednesday, Oct. 31, urged the agricultural sector to consider agricultural and rural economic restructuring as a key task for effective use of natural resources and the people's dynamism and creativity.
He told the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) at a two-day conference which opened in Ha Noi on Oct. 31 that it should strengthen its capacity to analyze market information, promote trade activities, support businesses to increase market share, and gradually dominate domestic and foreign markets.
He also asked the sector to combine cultivation, livestock breeding, and processing with production and consumption. MARD was urged to use animal and plant strains of high quality and economic value, to invest in the development of locally-available farm produce, to boost scientific research and apply technical advances in production, and to provide further training to staff to help them adapt to economic restructuring.
PM Khai also urged MARD to give guidance to localities in the effective use of lands; to exercise stricter control of crop strains, insecticides, and veternary work; to implement renovation in State farms and cooperatives; to give priority to the building of processing facilities to focus more on producing agricultural products for export.
The agricultural sector has recorded a relatively comprehensive development over the past year, the PM assessed.
It grew rice on 7.64 million ha which yielded about 31.4 million tonnes of rice. Maize acreage was about 750,000 ha with a total output of 2.1 million tonnes.
Livestock breeding developed well this year, with 2.95 million head of buffalo, 4.2 million cows, 21 million pigs, 220 million chickens, and 60,000 tonnes of milk.
The sector may earn an export turnover of USD 2.6 million this year
