Maintaining agricultural production, circulation to ensure abundant food supply

The MARD asked provinces and cities to maintain and boost agricultural production to ensure abundant food supply and circulation of goods, materials for production.

The MARD asked the provincial People’s Committees to enhance direction to livestock and aquaculture production in the last months of 2021. Photo: Pham Hieu.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), in the last months of 2021, aquaculture and livestock production is expected to continue to face many difficulties and challenges as the start of rainy season and the complicated development of the Covid-19 pandemic increase the risk of disruptions to the production and supply chains of livestock and aqua products.

In order to achieve the dual goals of the Government with the motto of both fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and developing production, ensuring targets of the agricultural sector in 2021, on July 28 the MARD sent a written request to the People's Committee at provinces and cities directly under the Central Government for strengthening guidance on livestock and aquaculture production in the last months of 2021.

Facilitating the circulation of livestock and aquaproducts, raw materials

Accordingly, it is necessary to strictly implement the provisions of the Fisheries Law 2017, the Law on Veterinary Medicine, the Law on Livestock and guiding documents; regulations on food safety, traceability; decisions and directions of the Prime Minister and guiding documents of the MARD.

Focusing on monitoring and controlling production conditions, quality of breeds, feed, products for environment treatment, codes of practice for aquaculture and livestock farming facilities, conditions of aquaculture and livestock establishments.   

Based on actual situation, localities shall come up with specific solutions to organize the implementation of contents in Official Letter No.4510/BNN-CN dated July 20, 2021 of the MARD on removing difficulties in transportation of agricultural materials for agricultural production and processing; Official Letter No.1123/TCTS-NTTS dated July 20, 2021 of Directorate of Fisheries on removing difficulties in production and consumption of aquaproducts due to the impact of the Covid-19.

Specifically, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for animal quarantine, transportation and circulation of animals, animal products, medicine, vaccines, animal feed and materials for animal disease prevention and control and livestock and aquaculture production; be proactive in suggesting plans on slaughtering, supplying animals and animal products locally , ensuring the prevention of Covid-19 and disease safety according to regulations.

In addition, it’s necessary to be proactive in the control of Covid-19 to ensure safe and efficient production. Strictly taking Covid-19 prevention and control measures in accordance with the regulations of the Government and local authorities at fishing ports and livestock and aquaculture farming facilities.

Consider reopening wholesale and traditional markets

The MARD asked the provinces and cities to prioritize the arrangement of means, human resources and equipment for the Covid-19 prevention and control at fishing ports and anchorages to gain highest efficiency. Consider giving prioritization of COVID-19 immunization to workers and managers at fishing ports, crew members and veterinarians so that they can be proactive in inspecting, guiding and taking pandemic prevention measures and organize on the spot production

In addition, it’s necessary to be proactive in connecting with enterprises inside and outside the area to keep them engaged in trading, transportation and storage. At the time consider reopening wholesale and traditional market to boost consumption.

Be proactive in making statistics on the chains of aquatic products with large output (through cooperative groups, cooperatives, aquaculture enterprises...), coordinate with localities that have demand for aquatic products to establish and maintain distribution channels, ensuring that supply chain is not disrupted.

Focus on developing livestock and aquaculture production; taking advantage of favorable weather conditions to speed up Exploitation and cultivation of aqua products, especially brackish water shrimp and pangasius farming in the last months of the year to complete on production schedule.                 

At the same time, focus on high value aqua products for profits (tilapia, molluscs, cold-water fish and marine fish) and native and endemic fish species to take natural advantages, boosting local socio-economic development. Guide and encourage fishermen to organize safety fishing operations under the guidlines of specialized agencies.

For livestock production, it’s necessary to review the number of herds in the area; making plan to rebuild and increase herds for suitable and advantageous animals to ensure sufficient food supply, especially in the provinces adjacent to big cities with strong demand; ensuring sufficient food supply even during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Focusing on raising herbivorous cattle (buffaloes, cows, goats) which are less affected by imported feed ingredients. These animals can make good use of green forage and local agricultural by-products.

The MARD asked the provinces and cities to guide fishermen, breeders to take measures on natural disaster prevention and response to ensure safety of lives and property in case of natural disasters.

Implement monitoring and early warning of the environment in the farming areas to make timely recommendations for public so that people know and take response actions in case of extreme events.

Organize instruction and arrange fishing vessels’ operations at fishing ports or arrange suitable locations for them in case the fishing ports are lockdown to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.; loading and unloading aquatic products and goods, ensuring disease free status and food safety.

Proactively prevent dangerous diseases

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien (middle) asked localities to organize the vaccination for livestock to proactively prevent dangerous diseases. Photo: Pham Hieu.

Regarding animal disease prevention and control, it’s necessary to speed up the construction of closed breeding facilities, disease free status zones  

Organize the vaccination for livestock to proactively prevent dangerous diseases such as avian influenza, foot –and –mouth disease, lumpy skin disease and blue-ear pig disease, ensuring a vaccination rate of 80% of total herd subject to vaccination’ regularly review to provide supplementary immunization for new animals in herds and re-vaccinating before the immunity generated from the vaccine stops working.

Instruct livestock and aquaculture farming facilities to strictly apply biosecurity measures; proactively organize surveillance of animal epidemic at farms; regularly clean, disinfect farms and high-risk areas (markets, trading sites, and slaughterhouses) with lime powder and disinfectant to kill pathogens in the environment.

Instruct farm owners to report to local authorities when animals are suspected to die of infectious diseases in order to identify pathogens.

Do not dispose of dead animals; do not discharge sewage and waste from disease infected facilities into the surrounding environment; detect newly arising outbreaks, zoning off and thoroughly handle the outbreaks to prevent disease spreading far and wide, causing difficulties in control.