Agro-forestry-fishery exports target 35 billion USD next year

An aerial view on rice fields. The agricultural sector will aim for total export value of agro-forestry-fisheries at 34 – 35 billion USD in 2018 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The agricultural sector will aim for a GDP growth rate of between 3 – 3.1 percent and total export value of agro-forestry-fisheries at 34 – 35 billion USD in 2018.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong recently ordered his ministry’s subordinate agencies and localities to step up making development plans for the sector and each field in 2018 towards achieving the overall goals.

Other targets for 2018 include an increase of 3.3 – 3.5 percent in production value of the whole agricultural sector, a forest coverage of 41.6 percent, and 37 percent of all communes recognised as new-style rural areas.

Regarding crop cultivation, the minister told the agencies and localities to seek ways to reach a production value growth rate of 2.5 – 3 percent and export revenue of at least 16 billion USD.

Meanwhile, animal husbandry and fisheries should try to expand the production values by 4 – 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively, next year. The overseas shipments of aquatic products are expected to earn some 7.5 billion USD.

The sector plans to increase the forestry production value by 5.5 – 6 percent and bring home 7.5 – 7.7 billion USD from the export of forestry products.

In the first half of 2017, Vietnam earned 17.1 billion USD from shipping agro-forestry-fishery products abroad, up 13.1 percent year on year. The figure was 32.1 billion USD in 2016, according to the ministry.