Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho speaking at the conference
The conference saw the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and leaders of its affiliate bodies. From the provincial level, distinguished guests include Mr. Le Truong Luu, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Bui Thanh Ha, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), together with nearly 250 delegates who are experts and entrepreneurs... working in the agricultural sector in and outside the province.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Chairman of the PPC Phan Ngoc Tho admitted that the development of Thua Thien Hue's agriculture has not been side by side with the province’s potentials and in a sustainable manner. The restructuring of the agricultural sector in key sectors and products has been still slow while no breakthroughs in agricultural development have been seen.
According to Chairman Phan Ngoc Tho, to overcome these limitations, Thua Thien Hue province is gradually altering its ways of thinking and doing. Agricultural production should be derived from the actual production needs, linked closely to market requirements while ensuring food safety quality and traceability. A series of action programs should be in place to support the development of local key products associated with the value chain, to assist the production right from the stage of raw material areas establishment, and to enhance the abilities of product commercialization and market approach for local key products.
At the same time, the province will encourage the private economic sector, businesses, farms and house farms to strengthen the application of science and technology and take advantage of internal resources to rally productivity, quality and competitiveness of Thua Thien Hue agricultural products and specialties.
Organic products are having a stable consumption market
Together at the conference, the participants reassessed the situation and orientations in developing fruit trees, increasing local key products, advancing high-tech farming and high-tech agricultural cooperative models... The event was also a chance for enterprises in and outside the province to introduce many models of seed production, aquaculture, and high-tech slaughtering that have already been and to be invested in the province.
According to Minister of MARD Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Thua Thien Hue has a diverse topography with all three regions: plain, midland-mountainous, and sea and lagoon. Accordingly, Thua Thien Hue should promote its own characteristics. It needs "to build and develop diversified agriculture; establish organic agriculture from trees, animals, forests and medicinal materials; construct an agriculture of specialties which makes a difference, and attaches to Hue's own food chain and targets at tourism development". Immediately after this conference, Thua Thien Hue province needs to appropriately re-plan agricultural structure in order to put its people at the center and enable them to enjoy practical benefits.
Story and photos: Hoang Loan