Phu Yen has many favourable conditions for developing agriculture. The Tuy Hoa delta is the largest in coastal provinces in the south of Central Vietnam with fertile land. At the same time, the province has suitable conditions for farming industrial crops and animal husbandry.
Its land area that can be used for agricultural and forestry production reaches around 291,000 hectares. In 2006, the province is expected to earn around VND 2,340 billion in agricultural, forestry and salt production, up by around 12 per cent against that of 2005. Rice and sugarcane are two major agricultural products of Phu Yen’s cultivation. This year, with around 57,400 hectares and two major crops, including winter-spring and summer-autumn, and an average yield of 5.4 tonnes per hectare, the province’s total rice output reached 309,000 tonnes.
Initially, Phu Yen’s agriculture has developed some specialised commodity-based production areas, including 9,750 hectares of high-yield cassava, 4,400 hectares of sesame and vegetables. In particular, the province has 19,800 hectares of sugarcanes with an average yield of 47 tonnes per hectare. Its production output reaches 930,000 tonnes, having materials for the sugar industry in the province and other localities nearby. The province also has more than 1,000 hectares under coffee trees, 4,500 hectares of cashew and 1,950 hectares of coconut plants, which have helped local farmers get rid of poverty and hunger and serve the development of local processing industry.
Alongside the development of agriculture, in recent years, Phu Yen’s forestry production has been socialised with a promotion of the building and development of forest fund. The province has piloted the assignment of forestry land to communes and villages of ethnic minority people. The province has built and multiplied the business model of forests and gardens, reducing deforestation. In addition, the province develops salt production with 176 hectares, producing around 15,000 tonnes in 2006.
In particular, with programme on guiding poor people to do business, the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed sample business models, farming grass in two communes Ea Bar and Ea Ly and farming rice in Ea Trol commune, Song Hinh district. The province has organised 41 training courses for technology transfer with the participation of 1,600 trainees from three mountainous districts in the province.
To help local farmers develop their production activities, the local authorities have focused on building irrigation systems. At present, some projects on upgrading the drainage system of Tuy Hoa City, upgrading the Da Nong river gate and the Xuan Binh and La Back reservoirs are being carried out.
Based on its achievements, Phu Yen’s agriculture continues to promote its development, thus helping improve the living standard of local farmers and promote the province’s economy. It has encouraged local farmers to apply new and modern technology to their production activities, increasing the productivity and quality of products, lowering prices and increasing incomes. The province’s agricultural service is developing and multiplying the VND 50 million per hectare field and a VND 50 million per year household models.
Minh Tan
Vietnamese
