Blessed with favourable natural conditions for agricultural development, Tra Vinh province has managed to develop agriculture to create a strong foundation for agricultural and rural industrialisation and modernisation. The province has taken many policies and measures to develop production and improve plant and animal productivity to contribute more to the development of local agriculture.
With the right investments combined with flexible use of various resources and commercial agricultural production, the agricultural sector of Tra Vinh province has attained tremendous progress in both dimension and depth in the past 10 years. Currently, the agricultural land in the province is 185,000 ha, accounting for 79 percent of natural land area. Mr Huynh Kip No, Deputy Director of Tra Vinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that in 10 years (2003 - 2013), the average annual growth rate of agriculture, forestry and fishery was 4.19 percent, of which agriculture rose 2.32 percent, forestry climbed 6.14 percent, and fishery expanded 8.56 percent. The production value on 1 ha of arable land soared from VND35 million in 2003 to VND100 million in 2013. Similarly, the value on 1 ha of water surface (aquaculture) increased from VND60 million to VND160 million in the reporting period.
To improve production efficiency and capacity, the agricultural sector of the province has attracted enterprises to apply new farming methods, transfer advanced agricultural science and technology, and incorporate production programmes and projects and encourage farmers to join in to meet the market demand. In addition, the province attaches great importance to food security by mobilising resources, building sample big fields, and developing cattle, poultry and aquatic creatures to help farmers to increase incomes and ensure food supply. In 2013, the the province’s cultivated area was 288,660 ha, of which 235,503 ha was used to grow rice, 53,160 ha was used to plant vegetables and short-day industrial crops, 34,400 ha was used to grow perennial trees (16,200 ha of coconut trees, 18,200 ha of fruit trees).
Regarding livestock husbandry, meat production output in 2013 was 76,000 tonnes, an increase of 22,500 tonnes over 2003. Aquatic output reached 154,575 tonnes, an increase of more than 42,500 tonnes in 2003. Tiger shrimp, white-leg shrimp, catfish and snakehead fish are key species.
The sector also pays attention to advanced scientific - technological transfer and application. At present, 85 percent of rice-growing field is applied advanced science and technology, nearly 70 percent of area is grown certified varieties, and 100 percent of farming areas are applied scientific and technological advancements to raise quality and productivity. Besides, the agricultural sector of Tra Vinh has actively and effectively implemented agricultural and rural development investment policies like the policy on encouragement, support and preference for enterprises to invest in agriculture and rural development as per Decree 61/2010/ND-CP of the Government, the policy on high-quality rice cultivation support and encouragement, the policy on pilot agricultural insurance in accordance with the Decision 315/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the policy on credits for agricultural and rural development as per Decree 41 of the Government.
From appropriate steps, flexible integration of many solutions and resources for production, the agricultural sector of Tra Vinh is facing huge potential for high-value agricultural production and asserting its position in local economic development, tax and fee payment, and incomes for farmers. This is also the premise to carry out the objectives of the Party, the government and the people of Tra Vinh province on the road of agricultural and countryside industrialisation and modernisation.
An An
Vietnamese
