TRÀ VINH — Trà Vinh Province plans to use advanced technology in agriculture and increase production of specialty products, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Ngô Chí Cường, has said.

Cường said the goals would ensure a competitive wholesale market and higher income for local farmers, contributing to the provincial restructuring of the agricultural economics programme.

The provincial Party Committee’s directive calls for the application of microbial organic and bio-technologies in the province’s agricultural production by 2025, with orientation to 2030.

High-tech agricultural areas of more than 300ha will be developed by 2025, as well as 1,000ha of organic rice farming areas that meet international standards.

At least five per cent of farming areas will apply advanced technology, with a 50 per cent increase in revenue expected by 2025.

Technical infrastructure would be completed and put into operation in at least 10 high-tech agriculture areas by 2030.

In order to reach the goals, the province is speeding up planning for agricultural land, promoting collectives, developing farmhouses and large-scale farming, and applying advanced technologies in production and post-harvest processing.

The aim is to promote food safety and to increase productivity as well as the quality and value of products.

The province plans to issue preferential policies to attract investment in technical infrastructure and hi-tech agricultural services, in association with training of human resources.

Priority will be given to a new Biotechnology Centre under the provincial Department of Science and Technology, and an Institute of Biotechnology under Trà Vinh University.

The province will also set up three centres for animal and plant breeding in areas of fresh, salt and brackish water at the same time.

Trà Vinh has more than 180,000 ha of agricultural land. Of that amount, three rice crops a year are grown on 74,000 hectares, while  26,000 ha is used for other crops and industrial plants, and 35,000 ha for aquaculture.

At least 142 ha are used for safe vegetable cultivation, 100 ha for rice fields, and 100 ha for fruit trees, following VietGAP standards. — VNS