Special hallmarks of Long An in 2017

Industrial development contributes to  socio-economic development

Economic growth

Chairman of People’s Committee in Long An Province Tran Van Can added that thanks to the unity amongst the Party, the government and locals, all districts of the province posted positive economic growth in 2017 and breakthroughs and changes have been made in all sectors by the end of the year. 

He gave some examples of achievements in 2017. He pointed out that gross regional domestic product (GRDP) reached 9.53 percent exceeding the plan (of 9.2 percent).

Changes in the economic structure continued switching to industry, construction, commerce-service and agriculture-forestry-fishery orientation; of which the second sector (industry and construction posted high growth rate of 15.83 percent, a year-on-year rise of 14.2 percent, while the proportion of the third sector ( commerce and service) and first sector ( agriculture- forestry-fishery) surged by 6.96 and 1.19 percent respectively. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was VND61 million ($2,686).

Modern-oriented industrial sector has seen dynamic development, contributing to speed up the economic structure. The province’s industry sector has maintained high growth rate with this year revenue of VND182,800 billion compared with 2010, up by 16.8 percent compared with last year.

Plus, processing industry always accounts for bulk proportion of 98 percent in the province’s industry structure.

State agencies and enterprises often have had dialogue in a bid to increase information and guidance on mechanism and policies which firms are confused about.

Additionally, through these conversations, state agencies helped firms to resolve present problems with the hope to foster the relations between state agencies and private enterprises.

Noticeably, in 2017, investment promotion and facilitation enhanced through such talks between the provincial authority and Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China)’s company’s managers in major economic zones.

Moreover, the province organized program for start-up enterprises. Thanks to such dialogues, businessmen’s trust in the province’s policy and mechanism and progress has been improved.

Favorable investment environment is also an important factor to achieve goals and economic growth index especially, the province attracted more investors in the year. By the end of 2017, more than 9,500 newly enterprises were established in the province with total registered capital of VND224, 742 billion ($9.8 billion). Foreign direct investment (FDI) projects totaled 863 with capital of $5,496 million in 2017.

Modern-oriented industrial sector has seen dynamic development, contributing to speed up economic structure

In 2017, despite its low growth rate, agricultural sector focused on hi-technique development. Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Van Hoang said at present, the province’s major farming product is still rice with average yield of 2.75 million tons a year.

The province has set up large-scale rice fields for growing crops on the basis of alliance of the state, farmers, enterprises, and scientists; as a result, the proportion of high quality rice paddy reached over 40 percent.

Especially, over 10,000 hectares of rice paddy land were converted into dragon fruit and lemon plantation and breeding aquatic products effectively. Fresh vegetables and white-legged shrimp as per new technology were booming.

Moreover, last year, the province carried out trade promotion programs to find market for fresh vegetable. Thanks to successive trade promotions, cooperatives in the province signed contract with enterprises to sell a large of safe vegetables; they gradually adapted to market mechanism showing their creativeness and dynamics in its activities.

Director Dang Duy Dung from Phuoc Thinh Cooperative in Trung Commune in Can Giuoc said that in addition to growing safe vegetables in accordance with VietGap standard, the cooperative built a warehouse for processing food to provide for enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, Long An province and other distributors.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Management Board for safety food in HCMC jointly signed contracts to grow and consume safe farming products under agricultural product supply chains between the city and the province in 2017-2020.

Long An Province wished to expand its market shares in HCMC, it has been striving to reach its goals by 2020 that most of its major safe produce in the supply chains will be sold in HCMC.

Besides linking up with HCMC, Long An province also took heed to cooperate with the Mekong Delta provinces of Tien Giang and Dong Thap to carry out the project “Uniting Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) sub-region with a target to step up collaboration amongst three sides; of which it focused on jointly producing and selling agricultural products, coping with climate changes as well as promoting investment, setting up information system in the sub-region.

Aside from its target, the province planned to invest in traffic construction connecting the three provinces and with HCMC.

The province carried out trade promotion programs to find market for fresh vegetable

It focused on improving locals’ life as per the government’s plan of developing new rural.

Local Nguyen Thanh Toi in Hau Loc village said his family and people in his village benefited from the government’s new rural plan as many roads were upgraded and built facilitating transportation of produce and trade. Accordingly, the family income in the village was improved much in the past time.

Not only Mr. Toi or any locals in My Loc commune but also others in different districts of the province were earned more money. By the end of 2017, 64 communes of the province achieved the government’s plan of new countryside.

Moreover, along with the plan, the movement to call for all residents to build up cultural life style and poverty elimination program also harvested good fruits helping improve people’s life as well. Movements to build cultural communes and civilized districts was launched according to the Resolution adopted by the province’s tenth Party Congress.

So far, the province has 111 out of 192 communes, districts and towns achieving the title of cultural communes or civilized districts.

Vietnamese traditional new year 2018 is approaching. All locals in Long An province are proud of its achievements in socio-economic development, especially outstanding marks of growth which testify its role and significance in modernization and international integration./.

By Mai Huong  - Translated by Uyen Phuong