Agro-forestry-fishery exports still have room to grow: minister

Hanoi  – Although challenges lie ahead, there remains room for agro-forestry-fishery exports to increase in 2020, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

The agriculture and rural development sector targets growth of 2.91 – 3 percent and agro-forestry-fishery exports of over 42 billion USD in 2020.

Talking with Vietnam News Agency, Cuong said the sector would have to battle this year, noting that saltwater intrusion has already begun to affect the winter-spring crop in the Mekong Delta, and African swine fever continues to menace.

Trade tensions will continue to cause fierce competition in the farm produce market since all countries want to develop domestic agricultural production, putting pressure on agricultural exporters like Vietnam.

Despite these problems, there remains room for agro-forestry-fishery export growth, he noted, adding that the ministry will assign tasks to its agencies to ensure tight coordination with localities and economic sectors to reach an export revenue of at least 42 billion USD.

The target is high, but the agricultural sector will exert all efforts to achieve it, the minister said.

The General Statistics Office said the agro-forestry-fishery sector expanded 2.01 percent in 2019, contributing 4.6 percent to the year’s gross domestic production growth. Meanwhile, the agriculture ministry estimated agro-forestry-fishery exports at 41.3 billion USD, rising 3.2 percent year on year.