A farmer tends cattle at a livestock farm in Lâm Đồng Province. The province has expanded disease-safe and VietGAHP-certified livestock farming as part of efforts to sustain agricultural growth in 2026. — Photo baolamdong.vn

LÂM ĐỒNG — Lâm Đồng Province is rolling out a series of measures to maintain momentum in its agriculture and environment sector during the remaining months of 2026, aiming to achieve an annual growth rate of 5.01 per cent and contribute to the province's goal of double-digit economic growth.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector recorded 5.3 per cent growth in the first six months of the year, exceeding the planned target by 0.41 per cent.

The province's cultivated area is estimated at 914,000 hectares, including more than 279,560 hectares of annual crops and nearly 634,500 hectares of perennial crops, up 1.4 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively, from the same period last year. Nearly 4,000 hectares have been converted to or newly planted with high-value crops.

Lâm Đồng currently has 109,500 hectares of high-tech agricultural production, including 1,400 hectares applying smart farming technologies. It has also certified 16 high-tech production zones and seven high-tech agricultural enterprises.

Sustainable farming has continued to expand. The province has 23,600 hectares certified under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) or equivalent standards and 4,050 hectares under organic certification.

In livestock farming, there are 37 VietGAHP- or organic-certified farms and 125 disease-safe farms. Total livestock numbers are estimated at two million head, while poultry flocks have reached 23.6 million birds, up 11.4 per cent and 9.8 per cent, respectively, year on year.

According to Trần Quang Duy, deputy head of the provincial Plant Protection Sub-department, proactive forecasting and timely responses to prolonged heatwaves, heavy rain and storms have helped keep agricultural production on track.

He said crop restructuring towards higher-value products better suited to local conditions and market demand had improved both production efficiency and sustainability. Crop production value is expected to rise by around 5.5 per cent this year compared with 2025, while the average production value is projected at about VNĐ207 million (US$7,900) per hectare.

Based on current progress, the province expects its total cultivated area to reach more than one million hectares in 2026, up 1.52 per cent from the previous year.

To maintain growth through the rest of the year, Phan Nguyễn Hoàng Tân, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the province would continue promoting technology transfer, sustainable farming practices, high-tech agriculture, emissions reduction and digital transformation. Authorities will also strengthen supervision of cultivation areas and packing facilities to ensure food safety and improve traceability for export products.

The province will also focus on reducing livestock production costs through locally sourced feed, improved breeds, modern farming technologies and stronger disease control, while expanding production-consumption linkages and promoting the circular economy.

In addition, Lâm Đồng plans to improve fisheries production, expand the application of science and technology across agricultural value chains, diversify export markets and attract more investment into high-tech agriculture. The measures are expected to help agriculture remain a key pillar of the provincial economy and support the province's double-digit growth target. — VNS