Hanoi seeks to increase the share of hi-tech farming to at least 70% of total agricultural production value in the city by 2025, according to Nguyen Van Suu, vice chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Hai.

Additionally, agricultural production is set to maintain an average growth rate of 2.5% annually, which has been achieved over the last five years, said Suu at a meeting discussing measures to develop the agriculture sector on July 8.

Hanoi expects to build a sustainable and modern agricultural sector, focusing on large scale production with high productivity, quality and competitiveness, Suu informed at the meeting.

The official said 60% of rice fields would be used for cultivation of paddy of higher quality for more economic efficiency by the end of 2020.

Additionally, the Hanoi People’s Committee has issued a new plan on raising of high quality cattle of Wagyu or Charolais breeds, targeting a supply of over 3,000 tons of high-quality beef to the market every year, Suu added.

Hanoi would also form 60 concentrated aquaculture farms with a combined area of 7,229 hectares, taking the total area for aqua-farming to 22,900 – 24,000 hectares and meeting 45% of demand for fishery products in Hanoi.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Van Suu (standing). Photo: Thanh Hai.

This would help raise the income per capita of people living in the rural areas in Hanoi to VND65 million (US$2,819), a significant increase from the VND51 million (US$2,212) in 2019, along with reducing the poverty rate in rural areas to below 1%.

Suu requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) support the city in restructuring the agricultural sector; build an international wholesale market for agricultural products at Yen Thuong commune, Gia Lam district; call for greater investment in poultry farming; accelerate pig herd repopulation; and develop hi-tech farming areas, among others.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue said the agriculture sector has significant meaning to the city’s economic growth.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Thanh Hai.

As of present, agricultural land for production in Hanoi covers 58.3% of total land area or 195,800 hectares. Of Hanoi’s population of 8.09 million, over 4.1 million are rural dwellers. Those working in the agriculture sector of Hanoi make up 40.2% of the total and workforce of the capital city or  2.2 million.

While the sector holds huge potential for development, Hue pointed to a number of shortcomings preventing it from further growing, including the significant gap in income level between people in rural and urban areas; low efficiency in land using; low productivity; among others.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong expected Hanoi to become self-sufficient in terms of food for nearly 10 million people and more importantly, to turn into a hi-tech agricultural production hub of Vietnam.

Hanoi’s farmers should master high technologies from the Industry 4.0 and attract more investment and high-quality personnel into agricultural production, a key step to ensure rapid and sustainable growth in the sector, he added.