HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Provinces andcities in the Mekong Delta have set ambitious targets this year with a focus onhigh-quality agriculture combined with eco-tourism, services and industry.

Last year, though the Delta faced unseasonableweather, flooding and a decline in agricultural product prices, the localitiesachieved positive socio-economic targets. 

Located in a key economic region, withadvantages in tourism, aquaculture and rice production, Kien Giang province,for instance, achieved an economic growth rate of 7.5 percent last year.

The province’s total Gross Regional DomesticProduct (GRDP) reached more than 62.3 trillion VND (2.68 billion USD), and budgetrevenue collection 9.95 trillion VND (428.5 million USD), 7.7 percent higherthan estimated.

Pham Vu Hong, Chairman of the Kien GiangPeople’s Committee, said in 2018 the province created 213 large-scale fields tohelp farmers apply technology to rice production. 

The province produced more than 4.2 milliontonnes of rice in 2018. At least 76 percent of high quality rice was exported,he said. The province’s aquaculture yielded about 815,400 tonnes, exceeding 4 percentof the plan.

It welcomed over 7.6 million visitors, of whichinternational visitors were 580,000, exceeding 34.8 percent of the year’s plan,he added.

Nguyen Van Duong, Chairman of the provincial DongThap People’s Committee, said that export turnover of the province reached arecord 1.2 billion USD last year, a surge of over 40 percent compared to theprevious year. 

The province sent more than 2,000 people to workoverseas in Japan and the Republic of Korea, higher than the target of 1,000).

The province also focused on smart agriculturalproduction, applying advanced technologies to ensure sustainable agriculture.

In addition, in 2018 Vinh Long province achieved10.59 trillion VND (456.3 million USD) worth of agricultural production,according to the provincial People’s Committee. 

The province’s investment environment improvedwith 22 new projects with total registered capital of 5.89 trillion VND (253.8million USD), up by 10 projects over the same period. 

The number of tourists to Vinh Long alsoincreased by more than 8 percent over the previous year. 

Tien Giang province also achieved goodresults in industry, export, tourism, rice production, and fisheries, amongothers. 

Income per capita in Tien Giang increased to 47.6million VND last year, exceeding the set target, which was higher than theaverage of the entire Mekong Delta region.

Le Quang Trung, Vice Chairman of the provincial VinhLong People’s Committee, said this year Vinh Long planned to improve its growthmodels by increasing labour productivity and competitiveness. 

The province plans to enhance cooperationactivities among other localities in the region to develop its trade, serviceand tourism sectors. 

Vinh Long will continue to restructureagriculture with the building of new rural areas, and focus on building valuechains for production and promoting major agricultural products.

The provincial Kien Giang People’s Committeeplans to improve the quality of human resources and administrative reforms,promote investment in major transport infrastructure, and develop Phu Quocisland district as a special economic zone and driving force of the province.

Kien Giang will also continue to restructure theagricultural sector with a focus on building new rural areas, and issue moreincentives to attract investment in clean and organic agriculture. 

The province will enhance investment promotionand recover delayed projects or those that have been implemented slowly. 

Kien Giang aims to achieve a growth rate of morethan 7.8 percent, the top figure in the Mekong Delta region.

In addition, Soc Trang will also improve itsbusiness environment and promote agricultural development with linkages tovalue chains, with priorities given to clean rice and aquatic products, use ofhigh technologies, and promotion of tourism and renewable energy.

Soc Trang targets a growth rate of between 7.3 percentand 7.5 percent this year, with income per capita of more than 42 million VND. 

It will continue to reduce the rate of poorhouseholds in the Khmer community people to 3-4 percent per year.

Vo Thanh Thong, Chairman of the Can Tho CityPeople’s Committee, said Can Tho is playing a major role in the Mekong Delta inmany fields such as education and training, healthcare, science and technology,industry, trade, services and tourism.

Can Tho will continue to reform its growthmodel, restructure the economy towards sustainable development, and promoteadministrative reform, as well as create more favourable conditions for localand foreign enterprises to operate effectively. Can Tho will also promote aknowledge-based economy.

The Mekong Delta accounts for 12 percent of thenational area and 19 percent of its population. It contributes 50 percent ofthe rice crop, 65 percent of aquaculture, 70 percent of fruit, 95 percent ofexported rice and 60 percent of exported fish.-VNS/VNA