Mekong Delta ignored in agriculture investment and planning
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Rice is Vietnam’s source of pride, accounting for huge export revenue. What few know is the insufficient funding applied to this industry.
In 2007, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s bread basket, had 8.2 tons available for export; but the Government set the rice export quota at just over 4.5 million tons. Thanks to increasing rice prices on the international market and the improved quality of Vietnamese rice, it is listed among the top ten export items, with revenue of over $1 billion.
In 2007, if 5 million tons of rice is exported, that volume only accounts for 60.7% of the total output of the Mekong Delta. The remaining is enough to feed the victims of floods in the central region.
Vietnam’s global reputation is about rice. As rice productivity increases, rice exports are also on the rise but few know that the growth of rice output is actually luck because growers, manufacturers and exporters do not see proper investments.
All provinces and districts in the Mekong Delta in their general development policies intend to quickly reduce rice growing areas and replace them with industrial activities. Some districts even plan to quit growing rice before 2010.
In the past five years, there were several innovations announced related to rice cultivation. Scientists don’t pay attention to new varieties of rice anymore, so many Thai and Japanese varieties are imported.
Mekong Delta farmers are still using pesticides which have been banned in developed countries for 15-20 years. In 2006, farmers collectively asked the State to develop alternative insect repellants and killers; assigned scientists neglected their duties and slowly researched.
In the five-year irrigation development plan (2006-2010), the Ministry of Planning and Investment doesn’t include any major Mekong Delta projects.
Annually, the Mekong Delta produces 12-13 million tons of rice, but its industry has remained unchanged for many years. There are mainly small and medium sized husking plants in the Delta. Mechanical engineering manufacturers don’t pay attention to the rice industry.
While the delta produces nearly 20 million tons of rice pear year, warehouses and granaries can only hold 60,000 tons in Soc Trang and Dong Thap provinces.
Under these conditions, how long will the Mekong Delta remain Vietnam’s bread basket; and what happens if it isn’t?
Sources, Authors:
VNN, SGTT