Mekong Delta region asked to accelerate economic structure transfer

Mekong Delta region asked to accelerate economic structure transfer

Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh speaking at the workshop (photo: VGP)

NDO – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh told the Mekong Delta region to restructure its economy to move labour from the agriculture sector to industry, processing and service sectors serving agricultural production in order to raise the income of locals.

He also asked the region to promote the production of large scale high quality agricultural products to create higher added value for products.

The Deputy PM made the request at a workshop on the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta region in the 2016-2020 period held in Can Tho on August 21.

The Mekong Delta region has a strategic significance to the national socio-economic development and plays a key role in the agricultural production of the country. As of the end of 2014, the region accounted for over 90% of rice and 60% of aquatic products for export.

The region posted an export revenue of US$12.3 billion in 2014, equivalent to 8.2% of the total national export revenue. The poverty rate was reduced from 7.4% in 2013 to 5.7% in 2014, and is expected to fall to 4.5% in 2015.

However, delegates raised many shortcomings of the region including the slow economic structure transfer, the inefficiency in attracting FDI projects, and low turnover from the tourism sector (accounting for only 3% of the national tourism sector).

They also pointed out other problems such as the lack of production connectivity between localities in the region, unqualified workers to serve high-tech industries in addition to the poor infrastructure in the areas of education, health and culture.

Deputy PM Ninh noted that the region should improve the social infrastructure associated with the economic infrastructure to meet the demand of both local people and enterprises.

He also told the region to mobilise more sources from the private sectors to invest in infrastructure development amid the tightened budget.

The workshop was jointly held by the Southwest Steering Committee, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the People’s Committee of Can Tho and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV).

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