March 30, 2007

Vietnam develops plan for livestock modernization
 

Vietnam is streamlining a master plan which is to be completed by 2008 to govern practices on breeding farms in a bid to upgrade production and quality livestock, agricultural officials said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan said restructuring breeding farms would help apply streamline production implement disease control and minimize environmental impact.

Figures by the Animal Husbandry Department show that Vietnam has already 17,721 breeding farms from 15,960 in 2001. The sharp increase has prompted the government to revamp guidelines and control measures to ensure product quality and consistency.

Farm operators complain credit access is difficult as 55 percent of operational expenses are from their own pockets while only 30 percent is from loans.

With farm outputs being unstable and susceptible to natural disaster, banks tend to overlook loans to farm operators which results to minimal development on small farms with little control on product quality or hygienic standards.

Tan said, with the overall plan, the cattle, hog, chicken and fish breeding farms would earn higher output through higher quality that meets export requirements - a jolt to increasing profits.