A chicken farm in Sóc Sơn District, Hà Nội. The capital city aims to establish chains and improve product quality to promote the sustainable development of the husbandry industry. — Photo hpa.hanoi.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội is working to promote the consumption of husbandry products alongside improving product quality amid the goods circulation problems the COVID-19 pandemic has brought.

According to Nguyễn Ngọc Sơn, Director of the municipal Animal Husbandry and Health Department, the capital city has one of the largest livestock and poultry herds in the country with about 38 million chickens, 1.57 million pigs and 164,000 buffaloes and cows.

Sơn said the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed animal husbandry into a lot of difficulties, including problems in transportation and rising feed prices.  

The trading of livestock and poultry between Hà Nội and other provinces has also struggled with the consumption seeing sharp decline, he pointed out, adding that the pandemic also caused disruptions to supply chains.

To overcome the difficult time, the capital city urged citizens to strictly follow the Government’s directives in the prevention and fight again the COVID-19 pandemic, which would help ensure the circulation of husbandry products.

The prevention against diseases among livestock and poultry had also been enhanced, he said.

He added that the city had created the most favourable conditions for existing supply chains to operate smoothly, such as the pork chain of Hoàng Long Cooperative and the chicken chains of Tiên Viên, Sóc Sơn and Ba Vì districts. The consumption of these products would be promoted at restaurants, tourism areas and schools when the virus is put under control.

The focus would also be placed on enhancing product quality to promote the sustainable development of the husbandry industry, he said.

At the same time, the capital city plans to enhance cooperation with other provinces and cities to increase the trading of husbandry products.

Establish chains

According to Nguyễn Huy Đăng, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the capital city hopes to form bio-livestock cooperatives to create closed chains.

Đăng said it was necessary to offer policies to encourage enterprises to develop husbandry on a large scale and build concentrated and modern slaughterhouses.

Previously, Deputy Miniter of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến said household farming still played an important role in the economy, stressing it was important to improve the efficiency of livestock production and focus on improving product quality and competitiveness.

Nguyễn Mạnh Quyền, Deputy Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee, said the city would focus on developing husbandry products with high added value in association with the development of high-tech slaughterhouses and food processing plants. — VNS