Food security, safety and infrastructure
investment in rural areas were among the chief issues discussed at a recent
online dialogue between members of the public and Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development Cao Duc Phat on the Government's website.
On the
forum the public raised concerns over whether food security targets would be
achieved when land for agricultural production was lost to construction
projects such as golf courses and industrial parks.
Phat
said the Party, Government and National Assembly were closely monitoring the
development of agricultural land.
He
pointed out that the Government had passed a resolution on increasing
management of land for rice cultivation and that a minimum of 3.8 million ha of
land had been set aside for rice cultivation up to 2020.
The
minister also said the State had introduced numerous policies to boost food
security.
In
response to questions raised over food safety and quality, Phat said the
ministry implemented a very effective law on food safety and hygiene in 2011.
"We
are trying to build and issue legal documents to provide a legal foundation for
localities to better manage food quality and increase management over the
import of farm produce from abroad, while working on food inspections," he
added.
In
response to questions regarding the discovery of a banned growth hormone found
in a number of pig-rearing households, Phat said the ministry would step up
livestock inspections.
The
ministry has also asked authorised agencies to punish those found to be using
banned chemicals to boost profits.
Phat
added that over the past few years, the State had mobilised resources to
improve infrastructure in rural areas to improve farmers' living conditions.
Le Thi
Hanh, from northern Bac Giang Province, said she often found imported products
in her local market such as Thai rice and Chinese fruits and asked whether the
ministry had implemented measures to protect made-in-Viet Nam products.
However,
the minister said that when the country joined the World Trade Organisation it
was committed to open up the domestic market to foreign goods, and that member
countries were not allowed to be protectionist.
He said
the export of Vietnamese agro-forestry and fisheries products had increased
sharply since the country joined the WTO and that in 2011 they were worth about
US$25 billion.
In an
open market, Phat said it was vital that domestic producers focused on price
and quality.
He also
said the ministry had taken measures to ensure foreign farm products imported
into Viet Nam met national standards, particularly when it came to food safety
and hygiene.
Meanwhile,
Le Van Thiet, from northern Son La Province, asked why firms seemed reluctant
to invest in the agricultural sector, particularly in remote areas.
Phat
said the agriculture sector was considered high-risk and vulnerable to price
fluctuations, as well as diseases and a shortage of natural resources.
To
offset the risks, the Government has issued a number of policies to encourage
businesses to invest in the agricultural sector, such as tax incentives and
land rent discounts, while investing in infrastructure, he said.
On the
subject of the Government's plan to buy one million tonnes of rice to hold in
reserve to help farmers in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces, Phat said the move
would help to stabilise prices in a volatile market.
He said
the Government had also invested in upgrading irrigation works and research on
new rice varieties to boost yields and quality.
Phat
also said the Government had implemented measures to protect forests against
illegal logging.
He said
there had been a marked decline in deforestation across the country over the
last few years, particularly in the Central Highlands. However, he said,
illegal logging was still a major problem.
He also
said the Government had called on his ministry to implement policies that would
encourage local people to protect forestry land.
VNS
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