Hanoi Times - The agricultural sector has set a target of earning US$760 million in export turnover of vegetables, fruit and flower in 2010. This was a content of a conference on planning the vegetables, fruit and flower production in 2010 and vision 2020.
In the last few years, Vietnam strived to look for market of vegetable, flower and fruit. However the export quantity is still not much, unstable and the export turnover is still low.
According to statistics, export turnover of vegetables, flower and fruit hit US$213 million in 2000, US$151 million in 2003, US$179 million in 2004 and US$260 million in 2006.
So far, China has been the main market for Vietnamese vegetables, fruit and flower. Vietnam’s products of the kind have also entered some European markets, but the export volume remains low.
Some large-scaled concentrated vegetable, fruit and flower farming zones have been planned nationwide. In the north, the zones are mainly in Hanoi and some neighbouring provinces such as Ha Tay and Vinh Phuc. In Central Vietnam, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An are main production areas while in the south, the zone concentrate in suburb of Ho Chi Minh City and Lam Dong province…
However, the development of vegetable, flower and fruit production still face many difficulties.
This is due to poor planning and scientific and technological application to production, as well as small production scale.
Market study and trade promotion activities have yet to receive a proper attention. In addition, the farming of vegetables, fruit and flower is a risky business, so enterprises and households have not concentrated their investment on the industry.
Also, the production and consumption have not linked up to settle the relationship between production for local market and export.
Therefore, according to MARD officials, the most important thing is to develop an effective production and export model.
Accordingly, it’s necessary to concentrate on developing large-scaled production, products of high productivity and quality and creating stable markets.
To that end, such solutions as policy, trade –promotion, proper planning should be implemented at the same time.
MARD asks the localities with main vegetable, fruit and flower farming zones to develop detailed plans for the sector.
Accordingly, each province should select its own main product, with strength and good markets, to concentrate its investment capital, Moreover, localities should boost scientific and technological application, thus helping improve the productivity, quality and safety and hygiene of vegetable, fruit and flower products…
Under the plan, by 2010, Vietnam will have expanded its area under fruit trees to one million hectares, of which area of spearhead fruit trees for export accounts for 255,000 hectares, with an output projected at 10 million tones, of which 430,000 tones will be exported.
The area for vegetable will be 700,000 hectares, producing 14 million tonnnes, while the figures for bonsai trees and flower will be 15,000 hectares, 6.3 billion flower sprigs, of which 1.5 billion will be exported.
Vietnam will strive to earn US$760 million per year in 2010 and US$ 1.2 billion per year in 2020 from exporting vegetables, fruit and flower.