Rach Mieu bridge has been opened for traffic, facilitating transportation in Ben Tre, thus luring more investors into Ben Tre, especially into its industrial zones.
By now, Ben Tre has established two industrial zones (An Hiep industrial zone, Giao Long industrial zone), investment certificates have been granted to 38 projects with total registered capital of VND9,597 billion; of which there are 21 FDI projects with registered capital of US$327.6 million. Foreign investors come mainly from Thailand, Japan and Korea. Currently, An Hiep industrial zone has rent 100 percent of its industrial land; Giao Long industrial zone has rent 95 percent in the first phase; and though it is levelling the surface, constructing infrastructure for the second phase, it has rent 69 percent of the industrial land.
As for appealing for investment into industrial zones recently, Mr Huynh Van Nuoi, Director of Ben Tre Industrial Zones Management Authority shared that coverage rate is not the main target of Ben Tre, therefore, investment projects of industrial zones are mostly ones prioritised by the province. Specifically, 60 percent of 38 available projects are projects of processing agricultural products and maritime products; other are projects of exploiting work to provide jobs for local people or high technology supporting industries. Projects in industrial zones are considerably large, with about VND250 billion per project on average. Currently, only 23 projects are operating stably, but industrial production value in the industrial zones makes up 50 percent of that of the whole province.
Currently, the Management Authority is commissioned by Ministries and provincial People’s Committee to conduct procedures related to investment from project assessment, granting investment certificate, construction right, reviewing reports assessing environment influence, to granting certificate for foreign employees, etc. Therefore, when making investment decisions, investors have to contact only with the Management Authority to be supported directly till they go into operation. For the last time, the Board has conducted well their tasks and has been highly appreciated by enterprises in the industrial zones. Moreover, the Management Authority is implementing quality management system in compliance with ISO 9001 – 2008 standards, all procedures are publicly informed online and in the headquarter, with issues over its authority, the Management Authority will help investors discuss directly with relevant units.
In the future, to improve effectiveness of attracting investment into industrial zones, the Management Authority calls for every domestic and international subject to invest, construct, trade infrastructure of planned industrial zones to create clean land fund for developing industries. As for issue of calling, attracting secondary projects to fill up remaining areas of industrial zones, the Board pays attention on projects of processing agricultural and maritime products of the province, as well as supporting projects.
Mr Nuoi added that the Prime Minister has approved for Ben Tre to establish more new 5 industrial zones from now to 2020, each industrial zone will have scale of 150 – 200 hectares in communes of Chau Thanh, Binh Dai, Giong Trom, Mo Cay Bac and Mo Cay Nam. The province does not target to construct large scale industrial zones, instead industrial zones will be established in advantaged positions to be suitable with economic development of the province to prevent land waste and improve investment effectiveness.
Kim Minh
Vietnamese
