To play a greater role in reaching annual GDP growth over 10 percent, the trade and industry sectors of Ben Tre province focus on such groups of solutions as industrial production expansion, export value increase, trade promotion, balanced market supply and demand, and increase service value by 10.5 percent over 2011.
According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Ben Tre province, in the first quarter of 2012 industrial production value rose 22.11 percent over the same period of 2011 and fulfilled 21.86 percent of the full-year plan. High-growth products include automotive electric wires (up 2.4 times), coconut milk (44.44 percent), seafood (43.77 percent), charcoal (39.24 percent), and apparel (38.97 percent). Some other products fulfilled more than 25 percent of the yearly plans, such as sugar, automotive electric wires, confectionery and desiccated coconut. More industrial producers were set up. In the period, eight companies and 78 smallholding units registered for establishment with a combined investment capital of VND11 billion and employment of 1,190 workers. Export value expanded 6.82 percent year on year in the quarter and reached 19.9 percent of the yearly plan.
Retail and service revenues totalled VND5,290 billion in the first quarter, up 15.6 percent year on year and equal to 23.72 percent of the annual plan. The province had 53 new commercial businesses licensed to build or upgrade markets.
Mr Truong Minh Nhut, Director of Ben Tre Department of Industry and Trade, said: To achieve these results, the sector focused on resolving difficulties and problems to promote production and trade. It also effectively implemented industrial development plans, supported and encouraged the development of agricultural, forest and aquatic product processing to contribute more to GDP and export. This group of products has long-term advantage and competitiveness but the value is now low; thus, it needs support for higher productivity, quality and value, a quicker shift into downstream processing, highly-valued, highly competitive and well-branded product development. To boost industrial development efficiency, the sector focuses on expanding supporting industries, renewable energies (e.g. wind), high technology, engineering and accelerating the use of advanced technologies to conserve material, fuel, and energy.
Besides, Ben Tre mobilises all investment resources for industrial production, gives priority to completing industrial infrastructure construction in An Hiep and Giao Long (second phase) industrial parks by the end of 2012, finalises detailed plans for Phuoc Long, An Hiep (expanded), Thanh Tan, An Thanh, Khanh Thanh Tan, Phu Hung, Phong Nam industrial quarters; and lures investment capital for industrial production infrastructures to expand the capacity for future development. The sector assists the operational efficiency of business associations to link production and consumption of products and share information.
Mr Nhut said in 2012 the sector will develop industry at a high growth rate by maximising existing production facilities and investing new projects. Industrial production value is expected to reach VND4,165 billion, or 78 percent of the full-year plan. Of the sum, domestic businesses will generate VND2,865 billion and foreign-invested enterprises will make VND1,300 billion. Key products include frozen seafood (35,000 tonnes); animal feed (110,000 tonnes), confectionery (25,500 tonnes), desiccated coconut (25,700 tonnes), coconut milk (24,000 tonnes), and mechanical products (VND140 billion).
The province targets export value of US$345 million. Besides, domestic trade is developed. Demand will be met, wholesaling and retailing networks will be expanded to ensure circulation of goods and meet local demand. The sector aims at retail revenues of VND17,000 billion in the year, or 76 percent of the full-year plan.
Tam Lan
Vietnamese
