A honeydew melon farm of the 3T Plus Green Farm Co. Ltd in Lang Lon commune of Chau Duc district, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A forum on agricultural production and consumption promotion will be held in Hanoi for the first time, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The forum will review Vietnam’s agricultural production, including farm produce processing and consumption, and discuss solutions to boost and expand the country’s farm produce market and raise Vietnamese agricultural products’ competitiveness, thereby attracting international organisations and businesses to invest in agriculture. It is also a chance for producers to connect with localities, professional associations, enterprises and investors in processing and consuming agricultural products. The forum will be held annually, Nguyen Quoc Toan, Acting Director of the ministry’s Department of Agro-product Processing and Market Development, … [Read more...] about Forum on agricultural product consumption to be held for first time
Honeydew melon nutrition facts
Young intellectuals take part in communist youth union community programmes
Viet Nam News HCM CITY — Some 200 young academics, professionals and individuals have volunteered for community programmes organised by the HCM City unit of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, benefiting more than 13,150 people in the city and its neighbouring provinces. The union on Thursday held a conference to review the activities organised under its “9th voluntary programme for young intellectuals”. It had been implemented between February and November this year, contributing to the national new-style rural model programme. Thirteen teams undertook 50 projects, which involved technology transfer, consultancy and facilitating scientific activities. They were in five main areas: developing the new-style rural model, environmental protection and response to climate change threats, facilitating scientific activities, supporting rural and mountainous areas, and building a civilised urban society and improving the … [Read more...] about Young intellectuals take part in communist youth union community programmes
Seminar updates firms on RoK plant quarantine regulations
A honeydew melon farm (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – A seminar was held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11 to help local businesses gain an insight into the Republic of Korea’s (RoK) regulations on plant protection product residues on farm produce exported to this market. Kim Ki-joon, President of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) for Southeast Asia-Oceania, said after the Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement took effect in December 2015, bilateral trade, including in agricultural products, has enjoyed impressive growth. However, the RoK also applies high quarantine standards for imported animal, plant, and food products, and many Vietnamese exporters have faced difficulties in meeting its quarantine requirements, he noted. Nguyen Thanh Huong, an official at the Plant Protection Department (PPD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the plant protection products which pose high risks to human and animal health and the … [Read more...] about Seminar updates firms on RoK plant quarantine regulations
2018 Global Nutrition Report reveals high malnutrition
Viet Nam News BANGKOK — Global malnutrition was at an unacceptably high level and was affecting every country in the world, but there was also an unprecedented opportunity to end it, according to the 2018 Global Nutrition Report introduced in Bangkok on Thursday. The report was released at the “Accelerating the End of Hunger and Malnutrition” event, which gathered decision makers, researchers and practitioners from key organisations such as the Food and Agriculture of the United Nations, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation and the European Union. The world’s most comprehensive report on nutrition highlights the worrying prevalence and universality of malnutrition in all its forms. In its fifth edition, it provides a concrete overview of progress made and calls on all stakeholders to act now to address malnutrition. The report provides new and expansive data highlighting the changing face of malnutrition in Asia. It also sheds light on new initiatives … [Read more...] about 2018 Global Nutrition Report reveals high malnutrition
Enterprises face challenges with agricultural investment
Enterprises face challenges with agricultural investmentThe Saigon Times Daily A farmer is seen working on a farm. Many enterprises operating in the agriculture sector have complained of experiencing difficulties in performing investment activities despite the HCMC authorities introducing programs and policies to encourage firms to invest in the sector – PHOTO: THANH HOA HCMC – Many enterprises operating in the agriculture sector have complained of experiencing difficulties in performing investment activities despite the HCMC authorities introducing programs and policies to encourage firms to invest in the sector. Speaking at a recent conference, Ha Thi Mong Ngoc from the Viet Mushroom Cooperative noted that the unit plans to expand mushroom processing technology for producing fish sauce, soy sauce and bouillon powder to prevent the wastage of mushrooms if they are yielded in large quantities during the rainy season. Ngoc wanted to know if the cooperative could … [Read more...] about Enterprises face challenges with agricultural investment
Farmers grow more honeydew melons by irrigation drip method
Viet Nam News TIỀN GIANG — Tiền Giang Province is growing more honeydew melons via a drip irrigation method and in membrane houses to raise farmers’ incomes, according to the province’s Department of Science and Technology. The department’s Centre for Biotechnology Application has helped local farmers who used traditional cultivation methods to shift to the high-tech method. Vương Thị Mỹ Thanh, deputy director of the centre, said the 500sq.m membrane house and an auto-drip irrigation system cost a total of VNĐ150 million (US$6,535). Four crops of honeydew melons are sold at an average price of VNĐ30,000 ($1.3) per kilogramme. Each 500sq.m of honeydew melons produces 1.5 tonnes per crop, earning a profit of VNĐ22.5 million ($980). Growers could produce about 30 tonnes of honeydew melons per hectare per crop, earning a profit of VNĐ450 million ($19,607) for each crop. Ngô Hữu … [Read more...] about Farmers grow more honeydew melons by irrigation drip method
An Giang’s infertile paddies grow other crops
The fields are mostly in mountainous areas, and thus far from irrigation sources or infertile. They grew soy bean, honeydew melon, corn, red chili, vegetables and other crops. Pham Cong Tao, one such farmer in Tan Chau district’s Phu Loc commune, grew oriental onion in his 4,000 sq.m field and earned a profit of around 80 million VND (3,500 USD) per crop. An Giang’s infertile paddies grow other crops The production cost of planting the onion is higher than rice, but the profits from it are four to six times higher than from rice, he said. Besides, the switch saves him plenty of water and he does not have to worry about drought, he said. His field is situated in an area of the commune earmarked for growing vegetables and other crops, which has good roads enabling easy transport of the produce. In any case, traders come to his farm to buy and harvest the oriental onion by themselves, he said. Many farmers in Phu Tan district’s Tan Trung commune are … [Read more...] about An Giang’s infertile paddies grow other crops
City district eyes urban farming
The outlying district of Hóc Môn in HCM City plans to focus on urban farming as part of the national “new-style rural area” programme in which it takes part. Vegetables in HCM City’s Hóc Môn District are planted under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice (VietGAP) standards. - VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh Lê Thanh Liêm, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said that urban farming could increase the income of local residents, which is an aim of the new rural area programme. Liêm spoke at a seminar in Hóc Môn District on Thursday (April 12) on the status of the district’s new rural areas and tasks for the rest of the year. Hóc Môn’s urban farming models are considered effective, including cultivation of honeydew melons, mushrooms and orchids in net houses, the farming of hydroponic vegetables and breeding of ornamental fish. Nguyễn Sĩ Phước, deputy … [Read more...] about City district eyes urban farming
Can Tho eyes development of high-tech farming in semi-urban areas
VietNamNet Bridge – Can Tho has launched a project to improve the efficiency of advanced farming models in semi-urban areas. Can Tho City has launched a programme to improve high-tech farming models in semi-urban areas. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Liem Nguyen Ngoc He, director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the advanced techniques include organic farming that does not require large areas of land and is environment-friendly. Such models help increase the green space in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta city and have potential for tourism development, he said. The programme would be implemented mostly in Ninh Kieu and Cai Rang districts, developing nine advanced models. The city plans to establish at least one new high-tech agricultural co-operative in every commune and ward that takes part in it. The co-operatives will receive assistance in achieving global or Vietnamese good agricultural practices (GAP) standards and introducing … [Read more...] about Can Tho eyes development of high-tech farming in semi-urban areas
Vietnam appreciates UN’s assistance in nutrition issue: PM
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) welcomes UN Coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Gerda Verburg (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appreciated the United Nations’ assistance for Vietnam in implementing Millennium Development Goals, particularly those related to nutrition and health while receiving UN Coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Gerda Verburg on January 31. PM Phuc affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State always pay special attention to nutrition-related issues to improve stature, fitness and intelligence of Vietnamese people, thus helping increase the quality of human resources. Gerda Verburg, who is also Assistant to the UN Secretary-General, spoke highly of the fact that the Communist Party of Vietnam had issued a resolution and the Prime Minister promulgated a decree on nutrition, which show the attention and the vision of the country’s leaders to this issue. She said that nutrition … [Read more...] about Vietnam appreciates UN’s assistance in nutrition issue: PM