MARD targets H2 recovery

The agricultural sector gained a year-on-year increase of 2.41 per cent in production value in the first half of the year to reach VND489 trillion ($22.43 billion). — VNA/VNS Photo Manh Linh

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will deal with difficulties in production and export of agricultural products to help growth recovery in the second half of this year.

Minister Cao Duc Phat spoke about the production and business of the agricultural sector in the first half of this year at a news conference of the ministry on Wednesday.

The ministry would resolve the challenges in production and improve the business environment to create favourable conditions for enterprises to invest in the agricultural sector, he said.

"The ministry will set up working teams to review all kinds of charges and fees in order to reduce them. That will simplify administrative procedures," Phat said. "The ministry will use information technology to help enterprises reduce time and expenses in using public services."

Meanwhile, "many free-trade agreements will continue to be signed in the coming time. Under the agreements, almost tax lines will fall, but the export markets will establish technical and administrative procedure barriers," he said.

"In the second half of this year, the ministry and its relevant departments will work with partners in specific export countries to erase the barriers for opening markets for local farming, husbandry and seafood products."

Pham Anh Tuan, deputy head of the General Department of Fisheries, said as the current weather was good for white-leg shrimp and prawn production by the end of this year, the shrimp output was expected to increase, promoting growth of the fisheries industry this year.

However, the fisheries sector should study carefully the reasons for the recent fall in seafood exports, including the exchange rate, supply and purchasing power, to have reasonable management for production and exports in the future, Tuan said.

Hoang Thanh Van, head of the livestock department, said this year, cattle and poultry diseases were under control, while the prices of animal feed and husbandry products were stable.

"Several enterprises have recently registered a huge investment in the livestock industry, including one investment of US$1 billion by 2020," Van said.

Large enterprises were rearing beef and dairy cattle, he said, which was the right way path for the local livestock industry.

Head of the Livestock Institute Nguyen Thanh Son said the State should reduce administrative procedures, and the agricultural industry should restructure production to attract more investment to the industry and create a positive environment for the export of farm products.

According to the General Statistics Office, the growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the first half of this year reached 2.36 per cent, lower than 2.9 per cent in the same period last year, but higher than 2.14 per cent in the first half of 2013.

The agricultural sector gained a year-on-year increase of 2.41 per cent in production value in the first half of the year to reach VND489 trillion ($22.43 billion).

The sector faced several challenges in consumption in the first half of this year, the ministry said.

The government, ministries and enterprises have sought solutions and an improved business environment to overcome difficulties in the consumption of farm products.

But in the first six months, five of 12 Vietnamese exporters of farm products saw their export volume and value fall, including in tea, rubber, rice and coffee, besides seafood.

The sector suffered a year-on-year fall of 2.8 per cent in export value to $14.42 billion for the first half of this year. — VNS