Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked the southernmost province of Cà Mau to devise effective measures for comprehensive reform to make the locality rise strongly in the Mekong Delta region. — Photo baophapluat.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked the southernmost province of Cà Mau to devise effective measures for comprehensive reform to make the locality rise strongly in the Mekong Delta region. 

At a working session with key officials of Cà Mau yesterday in Hà Nội, the PM asked ministries and sectors to work closely with the province in the implementation of the measures, while supporting Cà Mau to overcome difficulties, especially climate change impacts, to boost socio-economic growth. 

Lauding the development of the province’s aquatic farming with many major Vietnamese firms in the field, the PM held that the province should promote this outstanding strength and make the sector a spearhead part of the economy. 
He also praised Cà Mau for good performance in ensuring security and social order, as well as in implementing directions and policies of the Party and State, especially in the building of new-style rural areas. 
The Government leader directed the province to undertake more comprehensive and effective restructuring of agriculture, focusing on products of high quality and economic value. 
Cà Mau should plan to make itself the country’s leading shrimp farming area with green energy and high efficiency for better competitiveness, he suggested. 
He also asked the province to make plans in response to climate change, while maintaining its achievements in building new-style rural areas, prioritising human resources development and administrative reform to attract investors and boost local businesses’ production. 
At the same time, he also pointed to the need to ensure good security for fishermen in their activities, support small and medium-sized enterprises, and back start-ups to increase the number of firms. 
At the session, the PM also approved in principle the investment in building climate change adaptation works to meet the immediate need in easing drought and saltwater intrusion and ensuring water supply for locals. 
With a coastline of 254km, Cà Mau has a massive fishing ground of over 100,000 square kilometres and rich fishery resources. It has also been the leading locality in seafood farming and processing for exports for many years. 
Currently, the province is also among the top localities building new-style rural areas, with the majority of communes fulfilling 13.3 out of 19 criteria of the programme, despite a loss of 53,000 hectares of rice farms due to severe drought and saltwater intrusion. 
However, its administrative reform speed is now ranked 59th among 63 localities nationwide. At the same time, climate change has caused serious landslides in the province.

High-tech agriculture in Bạc Liêu

Also yesterday Prime Minister Phúc gave a nod to the Mekong Delta province of Bạc Liêu to set up a high-tech agriculture zone aiming to make shrimp breeding a locomotive of local agriculture.

At a working session with the provincial authorities, the PM urged Bạc Liêu to accelerate the disbursement of capital for infrastructure, encourage start-ups and heed human resources development.
The province should roll out both short- and long-term solutions to cope with climate change, he said, requesting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) to set forth comprehensive solutions to assist the Mekong Delta region and the province in particular. 
To spur economic growth and generate jobs, it is necessary to speed up land clearance for processing and industrial projects, the leader noted, asking the ministry to reduce salt output, avoiding overcapacity of the sector. 
The Ministry of Transport was required to coordinate with Bạc Liêu in seeking capital for local road transport. Other ministries were also asked to help the province attract major projects promoting the local economy. 
Bạc Liêu is one of the Mekong Delta localities most affected by climate change, which has prompted the province to make aquaculture an economic spearhead over years. 
The province boasts the largest aquaculture area in the region with nearly 1,280 sq.km, equivalent to nearly half of its natural land. Its seafood export is expected to hit US$3.2 billion this year. 
Of note, the locality earns about $500 million each year from shrimp farming. With an annual output of some 105,000 tonnes, Cà Mau has become the second largest shrimp producer nationwide with diverse breeding models. 
The province’s economy grew by 5.09 per cent in the first half of this year. Due to its dependence on agricultural production, the local economy has been seriously affected by the lingering drought and salt water intrusion which have damaged 1,300 hectares of rice and 14,000 hectares of shrimp. 
The local rice sector is facing a myriad of difficulties due to fierce competition with Thai rivals. Climate change has also exerted serious impacts on the local salt industry. VNS