January 9, 2007

 

Vietnam's animal husbandry sector optimistic in achieving goals

 

 

The animal husbandry sector in Vietnam aims to be a bigger and better industry in the coming years as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) unveiled its plans to improve livestock breeding in the country.

 

Hoang Kim Giao, vice director of the Breeding Department MARD expressed confidence that the breeding industry will be an integral component of the country's economy by 2020 following the Food and Agriculture Organisation's optimistic projection on Vietnam's livestock business. 

 

Giao said the breeding industry will strongly develop medium and large scale enterprises that can handle high production output, competitiveness, sanitation and environmental protection standards.

 

In 2006, the breeding sector cornered at 22.3 percent in the entire agriculture production. MARD wants to elevate this figure to 30 percent by 2010 and 35 percent by 2015, according to Giao.

 

From 2001 to 2005, MARD implemented 21 animal husbandry projects with an estimated worth of VND430 billion or US$26.76 million. Giao said central to these programs are the control of bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease

 that pose big threats in the sector's viability.

 

Local areas have also carried 129 breeding projects with a total investment of close to VND1.4 billion

 

Giao added the Government's implementation of Decision 125 concerning breed preservation has helped the sector overcome a serious crisis on the scarcity of breeding capabilities.

 

The mandate included projects such exported pig development, cow development, agriculture promotions, the Vietnam-Belgium cow breeding and the Vietnam-Holland Biogas assistance project.

 

From these projects, Giao said the country's milk and egg production has increased by 31.75 and 1.6 percent, respectively.

 

As the sector has now been meeting local demand, the MARD official the industry is hoping to penetrate the export market soon.

 

The influx of foreign investments have also improved the quality of livestock breeding, particularly in water birds such as ducks where it has already a become a delicacy in other countries, according to Giao.

 

With all these developments, Giao said he is confident that the sector will become an essential factor in the food and income in the Vietnamese household.