Hau Giang (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has suggested the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giangdevelop smart agriculture and processing industry, and spread a new-stylecooperative model. 

He made the suggestion during a workingsession with provincial authorities on September 27, ahead of a conference onlocal investment promotion the next day.

The PM hailed the province’s efforts to upholdits role as a rice hub in the Mekong Delta via building high-quality rice,sugar cane and fruit cultivation areas and forming trademarks.

The province took drastic actions to improverice quality, reduce poverty and build new-style rural areas. Meanwhile, servicesand tourism also performed well, he commented.

On challenges facing the locality, Phuc saidit is still affected by drought and saline intrusion. The number of localbusinesses accounts for only one third of the total nationwide whileinfrastructure is poor.

He urged Hau Giang to focus on land useplanning, particularly land used for rice farming and aquaculture. The provinceshould expand high-tech agriculture, he said, adding that further attentionshould be paid to agriculture restructuring and finding resources to upgradeinfrastructure.

Reminding the locality to protect theenvironment and respond to climate change, the leader expressed hope that HauGiang will improve workforce quality, particularly in rural areas while linkingup with regional provinces and Ho Chi Minh City in economic development.

In the first nine months this year, theprovince collected 4.9 trillion VND (214.4 million USD) for the State budget,or 76 percent of the estimate for the period.-VNA