(VOVworld) – Despite difficulties last year, agriculture remained a highlight in the Vietnamese economy with exports setting records, making Vietnam the world’s top exporter of rice and coffee. Agriculture has, once again, become the backbone of the national economy. VOV’s To Tuan reports…..

Harvesting coffee

Despite fluctuating overseas markets and a domestic economic downturn, the agricultural sector achieved a relatively high growth. Its total value of 27.54 billion USD was up 9.7% against last year. Meanwhile, the sector spent 16.94 billion dollars for imported materials and facilities for production, up 5%. This means the sector achieved a trade surplus of more than 10.6 billion USD. Seven export items that earned revenues of 1 billion USD or more were rice, coffee, rubber, wood, cashew nuts, cassava, and seafood. By the end of the year, Vietnam had exported a record high 8.1 million tons of rice, earning 3.7 billion dollars, up 13.9% in volume and 2.1% in value. Nguyen Tri Ngoc, an expert with the Cultivation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said ‘The achievements are due to our market development strategy and vital changes in structuring varieties to improve the quality of rice while meeting the diverse needs of the global market.’

Large field model has proven effective and been duplicated nationwide. (Photo: Internet)

Last year witnessed a breakthrough in the agricultural sector as the large field model proved effective and was duplicated nationwide. Efficient measures in infrastructure investment, master-planning, coordination among scientists, entrepreneurs, and farmers, agricultural mechanization, and building of agricultural brands have been applied to boost production and exports. A project to provide vocational training to farmers and develop rural areas initiated by the Government since 2010 has helped enormously to boost the production and export of agricultural products sustainably. To help agricultural produce retain its competitiveness, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has initiated an investment mechanism to develop national product. Minister Cao Duc Phat said ‘We are cooperating with international organizations to build a technical process under which businesses and the government will support farm production pursuant to technical regulations ensuring safety, and resulting in higher yield and quality. This will increase sales and consumption.’

 To Tuan