Vietnam plans to obtain a year-on-year rise of 30 percent in
farm and vegetable export value to 1 billion USD this year.
Secretary General of the Fruits and Vegetables Association (Vinafruit)
Nguyen Van Ky said the figure is within reach as the rising global
demand for farm produce is benefiting Vietnam ’s sector this year.
Vietnam has been listed as one of the world’s five biggest farm produce exporters, Ky added.
Meanwhile, Thailand, Vietnam’s biggest rival in farm produce
export, has become the nation’s major importer, said Vinafruit, adding
that the nation is focusing on the cultivation of orchids, a high value
staple.
With diverse varieties, Vietnam’s
high-quality special fruits and vegetables have penetrated not only
Thailand but also other markets, like the US, Japan, Australia and New
Zealand.
In 2013, Vinafruit said its affiliates will
increase their exports to China by closely cooperating with the
latter’s importers and distributors and to top 10 importers of their
farm produce, including Italy, Russia, the Republic of Korea, the
Netherlands, Germany and Canada, despite their strict requirements on
food hygienic safety.
The country’s main export
items are fresh fruit like dragon fruit, watermelon, litchi, longan and
mango; fresh vegetables like mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and spice
herbs; and canned vegetables.
In order to ensure
exports, the sector plans to raise an annual vegetable and fruit output
from 200,000-300,000 tonnes from 2011-2015 to 400,000 tonnes per year in
the next five years and an annual fruit output from 500,000 tonnes from
2011-2015 to 800,000 tonnes in the next five years.
To obtain the target, the sector will put ineffective rice production
areas in the Red River , central highlands, southeastern region and the
Mekong Delta into those for high-value fruits and vegetables.
In addition, it will apply up-to-date science and technology, set up
conglomerates providing varieties and technical measures to create
breakthroughs into production.-VNA