NDO/VNA – The southernmost province of Ca Mau is working to achieve an annual growth rate of 8% in agricultural exports during 2021 - 2025, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

To that end, it is moving to tap into local advantages and promote production to improve the competitiveness of farm produce, especially such key products as shrimp, sea crab, organic rice, wood, and banana.

The shrimp industry is the largest foreign currency earner for the province. From now to 2025, Ca Mau will keep the shrimp farming area stable, at about 280,000 ha, while boosting productivity, output, as well as quality.

The eco-farming area, mainly integrated mangrove - shrimp aquaculture and rice - shrimp farming, will be expanded to 49,000 ha. The co-culture of shrimp with other aquatic species will also be developed on about 250,000 ha.

The province will boost shrimp export to potential markets, including the EU, Japan, the US, Eastern Europe, Middle East, China, and the Republic of Korea, to make use of the signed free trade agreements so as to earn nearly US$5.65 billion in revenue from now to 2025.

Without as favourable conditions for rice production as other localities in the Mekong Delta, Ca Mau has still managed to form large-scale and sustainable rice farming areas.

It aims to raise to the organic rice cultivation area to 2,500 ha by 2025 and rake in US$22 million from selling this produce to Singapore, Europe, the US, Hong Kong (China), and the Republic of Korea during 2021 - 2025.

Forestry has also been given priority, with partnerships in the wood sector’s value chain from afforestation to wood logging, processing, and sale promoted.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Van Thuc said Ca Mau will work to have 10,000 ha granted the sustainable forest management certificate and 100% of wood products made from forest trees with legal origin.

It hopes that 90% of the commercial forest area, equivalent to 54,000 ha, will have sustainable management plans, generating US$20 million in processed wood exports, mostly to Europe, in five years.