Vietnam’s agriculture is entering a new phase to meet requirements in
the process of international economic integration. Therefore, applying
high-tech to improve efficiency, competitiveness and product quality and
meet consumer demand is an urgent task, the Vietnam Economic News
reported on August 1.
According to incomplete statistics, the
country currently has 29 high-tech agricultural zones in 12 provinces
and cities. These agricultural zones have formed development models such
as safe vegetable production and flower and ornamental plant growing in
Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Ninh and Lam Dong and mushroom production in Vinh
Phuc province.
In addition to development models, agricultural
zones have also established specialised production areas, dairy
processing facilities in Hanoi, Nghe An province and Ho Chi Minh City
and tea growing areas based on the Chinese Taipei technology in Thai
Nguyen and Lam Dong provinces.
In particular, agricultural zones
have actively applied new technology such as greenhouse, net house,
nursery and cooling warehouse, contributing to improving productivity
and stabilizing prices.
Director of Agricultural and Rural
Department under the Central Economics Commission Nguyen Van Tien said
that research results and high-tech applications had made important
contributions to productivity growth in recent years. However,
operations of high-tech agricultural zones have remained limited due to
the lack of support mechanisms.
“The selection of models,
products and technology has remained unsuitable and costs have remained
high, leading to low efficiency. In addition, some high-tech
agricultural zones in Hai Phong city and Hanoi have not brought desired
efficiency,” Nguyen Van Tien was quoted as saying.
Businesses
should consider not only investing in the application of advanced
technology into practical production but also promoting strengths in
terms of land resources and natural conditions.
Deputy General
Director of Agrivina Co., Ltd. Nguyen Van Bao said that although Vietnam
has become a member of the International Union for the Protection of
New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) since 2006, some businesses and farmers
in Lam Dong province have used unoriginal seeds, leading to unfair
competition between businesses.
Developing high-tech agriculture
in the future should focus on core objectives such as seed selection and
the number of businesses and services participating in high-tech
agriculture.
Deputy Head of Science, Technology and Environment
Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Nguyen Tan Hinh said that the country would strongly develop high-tech
agriculture with a focus on the number of businesses and production
areas, contributing to increasing high-tech agricultural production
value to 10-15 percent of total agricultural production value.-VNA