The agriculture sector remains determined to fulfill its set targets, focusing efforts on boosting exports and implementing three major programmes – the resolution on agriculture, farmers and rural areas, the strategy for sustainable rural development, and agricultural restructuring in the second half of the year, heard a press conference on July 3 in Hanoi.

Addressing the conference, Vu Van Viet, Director of the MARD’s Planning Department, said rapid growth was recorded in agricultural exports, particularly in rice, fruits, and vegetables, in the first six months of 2023.

The new-style rural area building development programme also achieved positive results. Meanwhile, the ministry has disbursed nearly 3.1 trillion VND (over 131.1 million USD) of public investment capital, equivalent to 31.4% of the set plan, which is one of the highest rates among ministries and central agencies.

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), total agro-forest-aquaculture production value in H1 picked up 3.1% and the sector’s GDP 3.07%.

Viet said although agro-forest-aquaculture export turnover dropped by 11% to 24.59 billion USD, the export value of key farm products was seen as a bright spot of the sector in the reviewed period when reaching 12.79 billion USD, up 12% year-on-year and that of animal husbandry products surged 26.5% to 232 million USD.

China, the US, and Japan remained the biggest importers of Vietnamese agro-forestry-aquaculture products, with the export value to China accounting for 21.4% of the total, up 7.7%. Exports to the US, making up 20.2% of the total, dropped 32.9% and to Japan, down 5.3%.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said the sector is working hard to complete its goals set for the year, including a 3.0 - 3.5% growth in GDP and between 54 - 55 billion USD of export value.

VNA