TÂY NINH — The southern province of Tây Ninh aims to increase economic growth and farmers’ incomes by becoming a high-tech agricultural hub for the region, according to Trần Lưu Quang, the provincial Party secretary.

Quang was quoted as saying on vnexpress.net that 70 per cent of the province’s residents made a living in the agricultural industry.

However, economic efficiency in the sector is low, he said.

Tây Ninh is calling for more investment in high-tech agriculture and it plans to give priority to land and strengthen connections with farmers, sciences and banks.

Lavifood, a company producing farm products from Long An Province, has signed a contract with Tây Ninh’s farmers to grow 14,000ha of pipe apples.

Under the agreement, the company will buy all of the pipe apples and process them before export.

The firm also plans to work with scientists in teaching farmers how to choose seeds and plant pipe apples in the most effective way, said Director Phạm Ngô Quốc Thắng.

He said that harvested products would be processed at a plant in Long An Province and exported to the US, Japan and the EU. If it is successful, another plant would be set up in Tây Ninh Province.

Organic Life, which specialises in organic vegetables and fruit, will develop a project on an area of 94ha which will start in the last quarter of the year, said director Lê Thành.

His company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japanese companies that were invited to visit the firm’s production model. Products grown in Tây Ninh will then be exported to Japan.

Tây Ninh’s hot weather is suitable for growing spicy herbs and vegetables not planted in other provinces. If the model is a success, it will be expanded throughout the province.

Tây Ninh is currently negotiating with a supermarket chain in HCM City to distribute farming products. Markets and centres that collect products from farmers will be responsible for distributing products to buyers, according to Quang.

Along with providing clean vegetables for their own people in Tây Ninh, the province will supply vegetables to HCM City, Quang said.

Developing high-tech farming is expected to increase income from VNĐ40 million (US$1,800) to VNĐ100 million ($4,500) per hectare for each crop. — VNS