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| Mekong Delta rice farming to become a leading sector in agricultural production (Photo: VNA) |
To increase the rice value chain, adapt to climate change and protect the environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is developing a project on sustainable production of 1 million hectares specialising in high-quality rice cultivation in the Mekong Delta. The project is expected to shift rice farming to become a leading sector in agricultural production with a multi-valued approach.
This is also a programme to implement Resolution No. 13-NQ/TW dated April 2, 2022 of the Politburo on the direction of socio-economic development and assurance of national defence and security in the Mekong Delta to 2030, with a vision to 2045. It will contribute to the implementation of Vietnam's commitment at COP26, and demonstrate production growth and protect the environment.
Dang Kim Son, former Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, said with the goal to develop a project of this kind, rice production must be on a large scale to apply harmonious mechanisation and automation.
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| Photo for illustration (Source: VNA) |
Vo Tong Xuan, Honorary Rector of Southern Can Tho University, said that Vietnam already has good rice varieties and it is important to pay attention to how to organise production to bring efficiency and ensure sustainable development.
He added that, to make the project work well, it is necessary to have mechanisms and policies in place, as that is how to help find markets and diversify products, thus improving the value of Vietnamese rice.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that not only high-quality rice varieties, the region must ensure sustainable production processes, protect the ecological environment, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Besides, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will work with localities in the Mekong Delta, industry associations, rice production and trading enterprises, and cooperatives to determine specific deployment production areas for rice production. This will encourage businesses, cooperatives and local authorities in the Mekong Delta to participate in the project implementation.
Tuna becomes billion-dollar export for first time: VASEP
According to VNA, despite a sharp fall in exports before the end of 2022 due to global inflation, tuna still brought home 1 billion USD in revenue last year, up 34% from 2021, becoming a billion-dollar commodity for the first time, data showed.
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| Workers process tuna for export at a factory in Binh Dinh province. (Photo: VNA) |
Tuna products of Vietnam were shipped to 99 markets, of which the US, the EU, members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Israel, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the Philippines, and Egypt were the largest importers, accounting for 92% of total exports, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Germany, Spain, and Belgium were the biggest EU buyers of Vietnamese tuna. Notably, shipments to Germany and Spain shot up 161% and 117% last December, respectively.
Tuna exports to Japan, a CPTPP member, grew fast in the last quarter of 2022. The value surged 131% year on year in December alone, helping raise the export turnover to CPTPP markets to nearly 136 million USD, up 48%.
Meanwhile, strong declines were recorded in shipments to many other markets, VASEP said, noting that after dropping in November, tuna exports to the US fell by another 38% in December. However, last year’s exports to this market still rose 44% to approximate 487 million USD.
VASEP forecast the export in the first quarter of 2023 will be unable to sustain its 2022 performance, but markets may recover in the latter half of this year. Free trade agreements are the driver for tuna exports in the year’s beginning.
Vibrant commodity market amid increased purchasing power ahead of Tet
Shopping activities are in full swing at commercial centres and supermarkets nationwide, with a diverse, rich, and abundant range of items on offer for the Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet, reported VOV.
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| Vibrant commodity market amid increased purchasing power ahead of Tet (Source: vov.vn) |
Consumers prefer buying items such as green vegetables, meat, fish and seafood.
This is largely due to production and distribution businesses having fully prepared the source of goods a few months prior.
Surveys conducted at a number of large supermarkets in Hanoi such as Big C, BRG Mart, Co.op Mart, and Winmart show that essential goods for Tet have soared by 15% to 30% on average compared to the previous year.
Supermarkets always ensure strict control of the source of goods with clear origins that fully meet quality standards.
Statistics indicate that people's shopping demands have suddenly increased, with consumers mainly focusing on buying items such as green vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood. In addition, typical Tet items such as confectionery, drinks, and spring rolls have proven to be popular among many consumers.
With regard to the WinMart/WinMart+ system, in order to have enough goods to serve local people, the system has negotiated with major suppliers to increase the stock of Tet goods by 20% to 30%, thereby ensuring a diversified range of goods at stable prices before, during, and after Tet.
According to Nguyen Trong Tuan, director of the WinMart chain, the system has prepared the source of goods for the peak period, thereby launching promotional programmes offering attractive prices. In line with this, WinMart/WinMart+ expect both revenue and the number of customers shopping at the chain to be higher compared to the past.
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| Photo for illustration (Source: vov.vn) |
Tran Thi Phuong Lan, acting director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, assessed that the overall quantity of goods of distribution units remains abundant and complete. In a bid to ensure the overall quality of goods, Hanoi will organise four interdisciplinary inspection teams aimed at supervising food safety.
Along with this, the municipal Steering Committee has also devised a plan aimed at conducting an inspection against smuggling and trade fraud in Hanoi to ensure that all sources of goods supplied to the Hanoi market are strictly controlled, thereby meeting the quality and safety of food.
“The issue of product quality must always come first. Goods from provinces and cities brought to Hanoi or imported goods must go through strict control stages," Lan emphasised.
In order to actively monitor the situation of supply and demand and market prices, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed domestic commercial enterprises to devise stockpiling plans to ensure the supply of essential goods for people at reasonable prices, she went on to say.
Le Viet Nga, deputy director of the Domestic Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said she hopes that through the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in co-ordination with provincial and municipal People's Committees, coupled with the price stabilisation scheme, consumers will be able to enjoy a warm and happy Tet./.