Science-technology promotes farm produce exports

At the conference - Credit: VNA

The statistic was revealed at a recent conference in Hanoi to review 10 years of the resolution on agriculture, farmers and rural areas issued by the seventh plenum of the 10th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said science-technology makes up more than 30 percent of added value to agricultural production.

Thanks to the policy on agricultural restructuring in tandem with scientific and technological application, the total export turnover of agro-forestry-fishery products during 2008-2017 reached US$261.28 billion, with an annual average rise of 9.24 percent.

The figure was US$36.52 billion in 2017, up US$20.05 billion from 2008, and is expected to hit US$40 billion this year, the official said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported that there are 10 groups of commodities with annual export revenue exceeding US$1 billion.

Of note, shrimp, fruit, cashew nuts, coffee and wood products posted export value of more than US$3 billion each.

Vietnam ranks second in Southeast Asia and 15th globally in farm produce exports, and ships to 180 countries and territories worldwide, according to the report.

The report said as of the end of 2017, up to 800 criteria and 210 technical standards had been recognised and applied in the sector. Between 2009-2017, the MARD recognized 309 varieties of plants and 203 technical advances, which have significantly contributed to improving the productivity and quality of Vietnamese farm produce.

The number of agrobusinesses increased 2.93 folds, from nearly 2,400 to about 7,000 within 2007-17, with a total charter capital of 213 trillion VND (US$9 billion) .

The report, however, pointed out “irrational” elements in the development of the sector, most notably failed attempts at fully realising a large-scale, internationally accepted centralised farming system.

The country’s agroproducts were also deemed to be uncompetitive due to businesses’ capital shortage and low application of science-technology, the report said, adding that there are currently too few products with Geographical Indications or distinguished brands.