Vietnam hopes to import less than 50 percent of its animal feed by 2020.
Accordingto the Vietnam Feed Association, the country imported about ninemillion tonnes of corn, wheat and soybean feed and fish powder in 2013,accounting for 70 percent of total consumption and costing about 4billion USD.
The country's agricultural sector focuses too muchon rice – a traditional staple –and not enough on producing livestockfeed, experts warned.
Nguyen Van Trong, Head of the AnimalHusbandry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (MARD), said domestic feed production could not currentlymeet demand.
Promoting investment into that and other supportingsectors for husbandry development will be a major priority in the comingyears, according to a draft plan to restructure the livestock sectorpresented at a recent conference organised by MARD.
Vietnam imported 582,000 tonnes of corn worth 150 million USD in January, six times the amount imported in January 2013.
LeBa Lich, Chairman of the Vietnam Feed Association, said Vietnam alsoimported soybean feed from the US, Argentina, Brazil and India, whichuse genetically-modified technology to increase productivity.
"Weneed to expand areas that grow genetically-modified crops so we canreduce reliance on imported materials," Lich said. "And the ministryshould encourage investment in factories processing fish powder, ofwhich we also import a lot."
Tong Xuan Chinh, Deputy Head of theAnimal Husbandry Department under MARD, said the cost of animal feedaccounted for 65-70 percent of the cost of livestock products, sorelying heavily on animal feed imports drove up the price of meat.
Chinhrecommended Vietnam shift some of the land used for rice cultivation togrowing corn and soybeans and use more technology in agriculture.
Trong said the Ministry planned to increase corn cultivation area to about two million hectares by 2020.
Expertssaid the Government should implement long-term policies to supportfarmers to shift from cultivating other plants, provide preferentialcredit policies for companies to invest in raw material productioncentres and increase investment in research and technology.
DeputyMinister of MARD Vu Van Tam said the livestock sector must act as adriving force for restructuring the entire agriculture sector, ensuringthe safety of products as well as the rights of both consumers andfarmers.
Accordingto the Vietnam Feed Association, the country imported about ninemillion tonnes of corn, wheat and soybean feed and fish powder in 2013,accounting for 70 percent of total consumption and costing about 4billion USD.
The country's agricultural sector focuses too muchon rice – a traditional staple –and not enough on producing livestockfeed, experts warned.
Nguyen Van Trong, Head of the AnimalHusbandry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (MARD), said domestic feed production could not currentlymeet demand.
Promoting investment into that and other supportingsectors for husbandry development will be a major priority in the comingyears, according to a draft plan to restructure the livestock sectorpresented at a recent conference organised by MARD.
Vietnam imported 582,000 tonnes of corn worth 150 million USD in January, six times the amount imported in January 2013.
LeBa Lich, Chairman of the Vietnam Feed Association, said Vietnam alsoimported soybean feed from the US, Argentina, Brazil and India, whichuse genetically-modified technology to increase productivity.
"Weneed to expand areas that grow genetically-modified crops so we canreduce reliance on imported materials," Lich said. "And the ministryshould encourage investment in factories processing fish powder, ofwhich we also import a lot."
Tong Xuan Chinh, Deputy Head of theAnimal Husbandry Department under MARD, said the cost of animal feedaccounted for 65-70 percent of the cost of livestock products, sorelying heavily on animal feed imports drove up the price of meat.
Chinhrecommended Vietnam shift some of the land used for rice cultivation togrowing corn and soybeans and use more technology in agriculture.
Trong said the Ministry planned to increase corn cultivation area to about two million hectares by 2020.
Expertssaid the Government should implement long-term policies to supportfarmers to shift from cultivating other plants, provide preferentialcredit policies for companies to invest in raw material productioncentres and increase investment in research and technology.
DeputyMinister of MARD Vu Van Tam said the livestock sector must act as adriving force for restructuring the entire agriculture sector, ensuringthe safety of products as well as the rights of both consumers andfarmers.
