Workers tranport rice sacks at the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap. Five new specialised rice-growing zones are being established in the region to meet growing demand from domestic and international markets. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue

CAN THO (Biz Hub) — The establishment of five new specialised rice-growing zones is underway in the Mekong Delta to meet the growing demand of domestic and international markets.

Le Thanh Tung of the Department of Plant Cultivation under the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development said the five zones are: the Ca Mau Peninsula, the Tay Song Hau (western Hau River) area, the Tu Giac Long Xuyen region, some areas along the Tien and Hau Rivers, and the Dong Thap Muoi region.

These areas will cultivate specific rice varieties on large-scale fields. The department had earlier said that the Delta should focus on high-quality, high-yield varieties.

Known as the nation's granary, the Delta currently cultivates rice on about 100,000ha of large-scale fields.

This will be expanded to 800,000ha by 2020, 20 per cent of the region's rice-producing area. Vinafood has said that the region will also produce 4.5 million tonnes of brown rice by 2020. — VNS