January 4, 2006

Vietnam's agriculture sector expects 3-percent growth 2006

Vietnam's agriculture and forestry sector has set a growth target of 3 percent in 2006, announced the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on Jan 3.

To achieve the 2006 targets, which include a US$6-billion worth of agro-forestry exports, the sector will increase the restructuring of cultivated crops, and up poultry and up cattle disease pervention, among others.

Statistics showed that the sector earned US$5.8 billion from agro-forestry product exports in 2005, representing an increase of 29 percent from the previous year.

At the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem also pointed out though 2005 was a difficult year for the local agriculture sector with many droughts, floods, and raised material prices, the fight against bird flu was one of the major successes achieved by the sector last year.

However, it is still too early to declare success in the fight against bird flu, he added.