Agricultural sector looks to surpass assigned targets

During a regular press briefing in Hanoi on March 2, Tuan said the ministry targets a 3.05% growth, US$40.5 billion in export earnings while 39% of communes will be recognised new-style rural areas and forest coverage will reach 41.65% this year.

He asked the fisheries sector to strengthen inspections over illegal fishing, towards persuading the European Commission to withdraw the “yellow card” warning to Vietnam’s illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by April 2018.

Tuan urged the wood sector to meet requirements on tracking product origin for export and domestic consumption.

On the equitisation of State-owned enterprises, the Vietnam General Corporation of Agriculture Materials (Vigecam) was successfully equitised and has operated as a joint stock company.

The Vietnam Rubber Corporation sold only more than 2% out of 11.88% of its stake.

The Vietnam Southern Food Corporation will conduct its initial public offering on March 14 and choose a strategic investor. It plans to switch to the status of a joint stock company in the second quarter.

As of the late February, the northern localities sew 907,100ha of winter-spring rice crop, equivalent to 97.3% the same period last year.

In the south, winter-spring crop production reached 1,953,100ha, up 1.9% year-on-year. The Mekong Delta harvested around 249,200ha out of 1,563,900ha.

The Department of Crop Production reported that the winter-spring rice output in the Mekong Delta hit 6 tonnes ha, up 0.5 tonnes annually with higher export prices.

According to the ministry, the export of agro-forestry-fisheries hit US$6.1 billion in the first two months this year, up 30.2% year-on-year.