Fostering Investment for High-Quality Agriculture

As a province in the southern key economic zone (SKEZ), Dong Nai is located in the middle of the broadest and most dynamic market of the country where there is a high demand for its agricultural products, particularly safe, high-quality fresh products like pork, chicken, vegetables and fruits. SKEZ is also rich in scientific and technological resources and home to many large agricultural research and application centres, institutes and universities. These are favourable conditions for the agricultural sector of Dong Nai not only to ensure agricultural production outputs but also reduce input costs like fertilisers, plant protection products, seeds, animal feeds and production technologies. Besides, this is good chance for the province to boost production cooperation and support, technical consultation, personnel training, and transfer of science and technology to increase productivity and quality and diversify products, particularly products with high technological content, clean products and hygienic products.

 

SKEZ and Southeast provinces also have many processing facilities whose inputs are agricultural, forest and aquatic products. This is a good condition for Dong Nai province to build intensive crop and animal farming areas and develop processing industries. As the gateway to SKEZ, Dong Nai serves as a transshipment point for the Southeast region and SKEZ with other regions. Furthermore, very fertile soil and temperate climate are good for comprehensive, diverse agricultural development.

 

By promoting these strengths, the agricultural sector of Dong Nai province has yielded very encouraging results. The animal and livestock farming leads the country (more than 1.3 million pigs and more than 11 million fowls). Livestock production not only meets local demands but also exports to Ho Chi Minh City and Southeast provinces. Husbandry technology is at a high level, represented by farming methods and technological levels. The province currently has 20 animal feed processing plants with a combined annual output of 2.8 million tonnes, of which some 1.3 million tonnes are sold to other provinces and cities.

 

In addition, the province has a lot of large-scaled specialised farming areas. So far, key agricultural products of the province like coffee, black pepper, cashew nut and rubber are being processed for export. Some products are made under GAP standards, including vegetables, mango, pomelo, rambutan, pig and chicken. Technical advances are being deployed quickly and efficiently into production.

 

Mr Pham Minh Dao, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Nai province, said that the agricultural area of Dong Nai province will be shrunk in the future based on the current general socioeconomic development plan. The acreage is forecast to be reduced by 45,000 ha to 421,670 ha from now to 2020. In the meantime, agricultural production growth is expected at 3-3.5 percent a year from 2013 to 2020. In this context, high-quality agricultural development will be the key from 2014 to 2020. Presently, the province is carrying out two big projects - the 2,100-ha Dong Nai industrial and agricultural complex (Agropark) and the Dong Nai Applied Biotechnology Centre - to create motivations for developing high-tech agriculture.

 

He added that the province will also carry out a series of programmes to focus on products with high competitiveness. Currently, the province is building agricultural production plans at three levels (province, district and commune). Every locality will base on its advantages and conditions to develop the best crops and livestock.