Can Tho plans huge hi-tech agriculture park

Agricultural products are displayed at a hi-tech agriculture fair in Can Tho City. Can Tho City is drawing up a project to develop a hi-tech agriculture park - PHOTO: TRUNG CHANH

CAN THO - Can Tho City is drawing up a project to develop a hi-tech agriculture park on more than 244 hectares at a total cost of nearly VND1.9 trillion.

The project would be divided into two phases, with phase one in 2017-2020 and phase two in 2021-2025, and consist of a central area, a processing and production area and a storage area.

The hi-tech agriculture park is aimed at promoting the development and application of high technology in the agriculture sector of Can Tho City, contributing to developing modern agriculture on a larger scale and boosting the competitiveness of farm produce.

In the first phase from 2017 to 2020, the project would focus on preparing investment procedures, training human resources, founding a management board and working with science and technology organizations and hi-tech agricultural enterprises.

Can Tho will develop traffic infrastructure, electricity and water supply, wastewater drainage and fences around the park while establishing five to ten hi-tech agricultural firms and training 500 to 1,000 agronomists a year.

In the second phase from 2021 to 2025, the project will center on research and development, technology transfer and mass production of plants and livestock such as rice, vegetable, flower, fruit, pig, cow, chicken, duck and seafood.

The project would also incorporate tourism cooperation between Can Tho City and other provinces in the Mekong Delta.

Dao Anh Dung, vice chairman of Can Tho City, said the project would be sent to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in early June 2017 before it goes before the Prime Minister.

The nation now has 29 hi-tech agricultural parks, with seven of them already put into operation.