​Up to now, these types of diseases have been basically kept under control. However, in early 2020 challenges have continued to cause difficulties for the agricultural sector when bird flu was at risk of outbreaks and coronavirus disease broke out. This has created a lot of difficulties for the exports of agricultural products.

In 2019, in spite of numerous difficulties and challenges, Dong Nai’s agricultural sector has still achieved a higher growth rate than the national average rate

Overcoming various difficulties

According to a report by Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, despite a lot of difficulties in 2019 the value of the province’s agricultural sector has still attained VND41.8 trillion, up by 2.85% compared to 2018, 0.65% higher than the national growth rate thanks to the determination of sectors and localities and farmers’ efforts.

The livestock sector was badly affected by African swine fever but it has shown an increase over the same period. Up to now, African swine fever has been basically controlled and compensation for losses has been paid for farmers. timely; the project on restructuring the agricultural sector has continued to obtain positive results, the province’s main agricultural products have been arranged to form concentrated production areas with a total area of ​​nearly 50,000 hectares, accounting for 31% of the total area planned for the building of the province’s large fields; high-tech agriculture has achieved many positive results, making an important contribution to the sector’s growth. Up to now, 18 crop products have been granted with trademarks and 85 planting area codes with a total area of 8,000 hectares for the exports into markets like China, USA, Australia, and so on.

In parallel, cooperative and farm economy has continued to develop and 28 new cooperatives were established within the year, bringing the province’s total number of cooperatives up to 149; 53 affiliate models and 17 safe product sales points were formed.

The new rural construction program has promoted outstanding development. In 2019, 14 more communes met improved new countryside standards, bringing the total number of new rural communes in the province up to 40 and 1 new rural commune won a model new countryside title. Dong Nai was recognized to complete the task of building a new countryside in 2019 by the State Prime Minister. Also, the province has focused on the implementation of the national program of “one commune, one product”. Up to now, 18 products have assessed and ranked 3 stars or more by the provincial-level assessment council.

The agricultural sector continues to be restructured

Up to now, African swine fever in the province has been basically controlled. However, it takes more time for breeding activity to return to normal and for re-raising to occur. It is necessary to ensure supply-demand benefits to avoid the fact that pigs are re-raised on a large scale at the time of high prices. Also, re-raising activities must also be connected to bio-security and sustainable livestock development.

African swine fever has basically been controlled and re-raising pigs is being implemented in localities

Meanwhile, there is a current outbreak in some localities across the country, but outbreaks have mainly occurred in small and scattered livestock households. The poultry being raised in Dong Nai are mainly raising chicken and this activity has developed towards livestock on concentrated farms, accounting for 90%. Therefore, it is also convenient for the prevention of epidemics.

In 2020, Dong Nai province aims to restructure the agricultural sector effectively; focus on developing sustainable agricultural production and improving the implementation of the connection chain from production to processing and consumption of agricultural cooperatives’ activities; launch advanced science and technology applications in agricultural production; promote the construction of improved new countryside, and model new countryside and residential area, and new countryside associated with civilized urban areas, and so on.

In order to achieve this, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Chanh asked concerned departments, sectors and localities to build specific agricultural development programs and plans; focus on taking measures to prevent and control diseases; strictly organize the re-raising of pigs according to the reality; apply biosafety livestock activities; encourage the development of other livestock animals to stabilize and balance the consumer market; closely monitor weather conditions to properly operate irrigation constructions, prevent natural disasters, and ensure safety for agricultural production; continue mobilizing resources to build an improved and model new countryside; and so on.

Duy Minh (Le Khoi)