 |
| Vietnam imports 999,750 tonnes of rice in 2021 (Source: VOV) |
The General Department of Customs reported last year saw Vietnam purchase 719,970 tonnes of rice from India, accounting for 72% of its total rice import.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted a report to the Prime Minister making amendments to Decree 107 on rice export activities, particularly as it shows inadequacies in management over rice imports.
According to the ministry, the country’s annual rice output is relatively abundant, helping ensure food security, national reserves, and a certain amount for export.
The excessive import of rice without adequate and timely management will negatively affect domestic production, according to the ministry.
The ministry therefore emphasised the necessity of formulating regulations on rice import management in a bid to help state management agencies proactively and promptly regulate rice import activities in an effective manner.
Green FDI inflows promoted in Vietnam
Danish toymaker LEGO has officially begun the construction of its 1 billion USD project in the southern province of Binh Duong as green investment starts to take shape in Vietnam, reported VNA.
 |
| Illustrative photo (Source: baodautu.vn) |
The project covers an area of 44ha in the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park III, making it the company’s sixth in the world and second in Asia.
LEGO CEO Niels B. Christiansen said it is the first factory designed as a neutral carbon facility. Apart from solar panels on the roof, the factory will also have a nearby solar power farm to meet annual energy demand and use energy-saving equipment to meet the minimum standards of LEED Gold, a green building certification used worldwide.
Once completed in 2024, the factory is expected to generate thousands of jobs for skilled workers, contributing to Binh Duong’s economic development in the coming years.
Although LEGO's project is considered an important milestone, this is not the only one contributing to the trend of green FDI inflows in Vietnam.
 |
| At the ground breaking ceremony of LEGO's plant in Vietnam (Photo: baodautu.vn) |
A few months ago, Pandora, a Danish jewelry manufacturer, decided to invest 100 USD million in building a new facility in Binh Duong. The plant is set to follow the LEED Gold standard and be powered by renewable energy. It will create jobs for more than 6,000 craftspeople and have an annual capacity of 60 million pieces of jewellery.
Recently, DHL Express, the world's leading international express delivery service provider, inaugurated its newest operation centre in Vietnam. It is worth mentioning that, with the goal of sustainable development at the heart of all business activities, the centre has been equipped with a series of technologies to help reduce carbon emissions and optimise efficiency.
Notably, European investors are very interested in green projects in Vietnam.
Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) Alain Cany said that EuroCham is implementing an investment promotion programme, planning to bring 300 European enterprises in green economic fields to Vietnam to explore investment opportunities. Related feedback has been positive.
With policies to encourage sustainable growth, Vietnam can leap ahead of many other countries in the region, said Cany.
Over 7 million EUR to aid delta farmers’ green production
The German-funded Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector (GIC) project worth over 7 million EUR is underway in Mekong Delta localities.
 |
| Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) |
Co-implemented by German development agency GIZ and the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, the project aims to promote the introduction and replication of innovative models and solutions through various agricultural products in contribution to sustainable rural development, reported VNA.
Accordingly, a series of goals have been set, including helping farmers reduce 40% of water use, 25% chemical use, 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 60 of pesticides.
Beneficiaries are the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, and Can Tho city.
Kamila Tovbaeva, Coordinator of the Component Coordinator of Capacity Building for Cooperatives and Farmers under GFA Consulting Company, said the GFA will provide assistance to 90 cooperatives in the Green Innovation Project located in six delta localities as well as business training for nearly 8,000 farmers until 2023.
 |
| Illustrative photo (Source: haugiangtivi.vn) |
In An Giang, the GFA is in charge of capacity building for 17 local agricultural cooperatives and business training for farmers. These components primarily focus on boosting skills in cooperative management, production and business planning, financial management, marketing and market management.
Earmarked to implement the project for the local cultivation of rice and mango from 2021 to 2025, An Giang expects to improve farming efficiency and quality and gradually develop a sustainable value chain./.