The MARD is also expected to reduce 130,000 hectares of rice cultivation area and to grow other industrial crops without expanding coffee growing areas.

The focus will be also on planting an additional 20,000 hectares of rubber trees and maintaining the acreage of cashew nut trees aiming to improve economic efficiency and output.

This year, the agricultural sector plans to develop breeding activities under new farming models with the application of hi-technology.

The fisheries sector aims to produce 6.5 million tonnes of aquatic products including 2.6 million tonnes from exploitation and 3.6 million from aquaculture, which will increase production value by 3.5-4.0%.

Special priority is being given to developing the processing industry which has great potential to increase the added value of products under a proper production process from, post-harvest preservation, processing and consumption.

Last year’s agro-forestry-fisheries export value was estimated at US$27.5 billion, up 0.7% against 2012 with a trade surplus reaching over US$8.5 billion.

Export items earning more than US$1 billion included rice, coffee, rubber, cashew nuts, cassavas, wooden products, shrimps and tra fish.