Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese businesses have been investing heavily in theagro-processing sector in recent years, helping it develop sustainably and effectivelyadapt to natural disasters and diseases.

Accordingto the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the sector grew5-7 percent annually from 2013 to 2018, and export revenue accounted for about65 percent of the total processing value.

Thecountry now houses 7,500 agro-processing and preservation facilities that serveexport activities.

In2018-2019, construction of 30 agro-processing worth around 1 billion USD started,and many of them have already been put into operation, the ministry said.

Amongthose, in late 2019, Intimex Group inaugurated a 30 million USD instant coffeeplant that is equipped with cutting-edge technologies and has an annualcapacity of 4,000 tonnes.

“Throughthe project, we aim to meet the increasing demand of customers, improvecompetitiveness and value of Vietnamese coffee, and look towards sustainableexports,” said Intimex Chairman Do Ha Nam.  

Namsaid the group plans to raise the factory’s annual capacity to 20,000 tonnes in2020, with accumulative investment amounting to 100 million USD.

Otherenterprises that have scaled up operations in this sphere include Phuc SinhJSC, TH Group, Masan MEATLife JSC, Vina T&T Group, Viet-Uc Group and San HaCo., Ltd.

Pricesof processed agricultural products are forecast to increase 7-8 percent eachyear by 2030, said Nguyen Quoc Toan, head of MARD’s Department of Farm ProduceProcessing and Development.

Productsthat undergo intensive processing and have high added value will make up 30percent and above, and more than half of agro-processing facilities will beequipped with state-of-the-art technologies, he added.

Apartfrom investing in intensive processing technologies, businesses have changed theirmindsets on food safety management and supervision.

Toansaid agriculture would further develop if the sector receives more investmentsin intensive processing technologies, suggesting firms engage inagro-production, processing and consumption value chains.

Besides,it is necessary to improve the quality of personnel training, focusing on science-technology,the market economy and international integration, he said./.