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Delta, rice cultivation is forecast to grow
and develop well. Drought and saltwater “To open and develop a sustainable export
intrusion in the area are expected to be market for agricultural products, one prerequisite
less severe than in previous years, thanks is to reorganize production in association with the
to expected higher water levels. Some collective economy, to build up standardized raw
400,000 ha of the early winter-spring rice material areas. To do this, specialized units at the
crop have been harvested with high pro- ministry, such as the Department of Crop
ductivity, ensuring export rice supplies. Production, the Department of Livestock
Regarding forestry, Deputy Minister Husbandry, the Department of Plant Protection, the
Doanh said it accounts for a large proportion Department of Animal Health, and the National
of export value, with the value of wood Agricultural Extension Center, must send staff to
and non-timber forestry products reaching localities to guide cooperatives and local farmers on
approximately $16 billion in 2021 and with production, establish a code for planting, farming,
forecasts having been made of even higher and production areas according to market
figures in 2022, to $18 billion or more, of standards, and design packaging and labeling.
which wood and furniture exports will We need to change the view of businesses as being objects to manage, and
stand at around $16-16.8 billion. instead look at them as partners accompanying the development process. We
“We have a huge market, and wood should be open-minded, and not stick to the old ways of thinking. At the same time,
businesses are looking good,” he said. “The we must strongly connect and cooperate with businesses and industry
ministry should organize a conference on associations to conduct major programs for the agricultural industry, and avoid
planning and building areas specializing being dependent on public investment capital.”
in raw materials and non-timber forestry
products. If there are no new areas for MR. LE MINH HOAN,
raw materials, it may be difficult to gain Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
export share because international market
requirements for transparency regarding chance and must work to control the mar- OECD and FAO jointly forecast growth of
the origin of wood materials is increasing.” ket to some extent,” he added. “Once a 15 per cent from 2021 to 2030. In 2022, the
When visiting businesses and farmers market has been opened, we must take cost per unit of farmed seafood will increase
in the Mekong Delta, Minister Hoan told dual actions to build and standardize our 6.3 per cent, or some $3,200 per ton.
the meeting, he saw that momentum had raw material areas.” On January 28, he According to the Vietnam Association
been maintained and that businesses were went on, the Prime Minister signed a of Seafood Exporters and Producers
resilient post-pandemic. The export value Decision approving the Strategy for Sus- (VASEP), shrimp export value is forecast
of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries prod- tainable Agriculture and Rural Develop- to increase 10 per cent this year compared
ucts may well surpass $50 billion this ment for the 2021-2030 Period and Vision to 2021, to $4.3 billion. Vietnamese enter-
year. “However, we can’t just leave it to to 2050, which includes new approaches prises have flexibly adjusted production to
to resolving internal issues in the sector match the pandemic situation, creating
to ensure sustainable development. favorable factors to capture growing demand
in the US. The US doubled anti-dumping
FISHERIES ON THE UP duties on shrimp exports from India last
Covid-19 has severely affected the November, from 3 per cent to 7.15 per
Mekong Delta - a key aquaculture and cent, which will boost the competitive
seafood cultivating and processing area in advantages of Vietnam and other exporters.
Vietnam - posing a number of difficulties. Vietnam will also have a better com-
Fisheries exports, however, still posted petitive advantage in the EU from now on
turnover of $8.9 billion in 2021, up 5.7 per thanks to the EU-Vietnam Free Trade
cent year-on-year and surpassing the plan Agreement (EUVFTA). India, Ecuador,
by 4.6 per cent. Shrimp export turnover and Vietnam were the three largest shrimp
was $3.8 billion, while pangasius (catfish) exporters to the bloc last year. Vietnam is
exports hit $1.55 billion. better placed compared to India because
Vietnam’s seafood industry is forecast to of the FTA’s export tariff schedule. When
“We have a huge market, and wood have opportunities to record high growth Vietnamese companies export to the EU,
businesses are looking good. The this year. According to the Agricultural Out- the tariff on giant tiger prawns is 0 per
ministry should organize a conference look Report from the Organization for Eco- cent, while the rate on frozen white-legged
soon on planning and building areas nomic Cooperation and Development shrimp will gradually fall to 0 per cent by
specializing in raw materials and non- (OECD) and the United Nations’ Food and 2025. While Ecuador focuses on shell-on
timber forestry products. If there are no Agriculture Organization (FAO), global per and headless shrimp, Vietnam is well-
new areas for raw materials, it may be capita seafood consumption will rise 3.6 known as a supplier of Pacific white shrimp
difficult to gain export share because per cent in the 2020-2030 period. It is and value-added products. This creates
international market requirements for expected that consumption will expand on space for Vietnam to significantly expand
transparency regarding the origin of all continents, driven by rising incomes, its market share in the EU.
wood materials is increasing.” urbanization, production expansion, VASEP, meanwhile, estimates that pan-
improved distribution channels, product gasius exports will reach the targeted $1.65
MR. LE QUOC DOANH, innovation, and increasing recognition billion in 2022, equivalent to an increase of
Deputy Minister of Agriculture among consumers that seafood is a healthy 7 per cent against 2021. The seafood industry
and Rural Development and nutritious food item. Regarding the as a whole will strive to post turnover of
nominal production price of farmed seafood, over $9.5 billion this year. %

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