Intensively Developing Commercial Agriculture

Despite general economic slowdown in 2011, agricultural production value still expanded 2.69 percent. Food security was guaranteed in the province, food supply per capita reached 355 kg, and hunger was eradicated. Many scientific and technological advances have been rapidly applied to food production, especially in stock reproduction. New high-yield varieties are used with increasing density. As a result, rice productivity has increased significantly to an average of 6 tonnes per ha each crop. Thus, although the rice cultivating area decreases, output still increases significantly year after year.

 

Livestock and poultry husbandry is developing stably. The value of husbandry holds a higher proportion in agricultural economic structure, with 34.26 percent in 2011. Husbandry has become a breadwinner for many farming households. Cattle quality has been raised. Hybrid cows account for 48 percent of the cow herd.

 

To develop raw material zones for processing industries, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised the governing Provincial People's Committee to issue policies encouraging material zone development, including support for new varieties, crop transformation, traffic construction, infield irrigation construction, field reorganisation, and cooperative development. From this effort, many concentrated production areas and monoculture areas have been formed, including sugarcane fields (6,000 ha), cassava fields (20,000 ha), rubber plantations (2,500 ha), and wood for paper production (71,000 ha), to meet the need of raw materials for local processing industries. This helps develop the processing industries and export of agricultural and forest products from the province.

 

Clearly aware that the strength of the agricultural sector is the production of material plants (starch, timber) and fishing, Quang Ngai province has spent a lot of money on these backbone sectors to increase its export revenues.

 

In 2011, export turnover of key agricultural, forest and aquatic products reached US$77 million, accounting for 30 percent of the province’s total exports, of which US$42 million came from starch, US$31 million from wood chips, and nearly US$4 million from seafood. Excluding petrochemical products from Dung Quat oil refinery and heavy industrial products from Doosan Vina Company (Dung Quat Economic Zone), export turnover of agricultural and forest commodities made up 85 percent of the province’s total exports.

 

Director Duong Van To of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: The province will invest in intensive development of agricultural and forest commodities to improve the quality for higher export value rather than extensive development which is driven by acreage expansion for greater output. As cassava is primarily planted in mountainous districts, the province advocates maintaining its acreage to prevent damage to forests.

 

Quang Ngai province continues investing to expand forest areas by planting and replanting commercial forests. It encourages and supports foresters to plant acacia for wood (8 - 10 years) rather than for wood chips (5 - 6 years) to increase the value of timber and incomes for producers;

 

For commercial fishing, the province continues supporting fishermen to build larger boats (300 - 400 CV) for offshore fishing and equip them with good processing facilities to enhance product quality, putting resources into fishing infrastructure development, especially fishing ports, storm shelters and logistics services for fishing vessels. At the same time, it encourages and supports the development of the export seafood processing industry.