Agriculture holds significant contributions to 2021 economic growth: PM
Agriculture, farmers, and rural areas have made important contributions in various aspects to stabilising macroeconomics, ensuring major balances, sustaining growth, and boosting economic recovery in 2021 when the economy faces serious COVID-19-induced impacts, stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a conference held in Hanoi on December 29.
Hanoi (VNA) – Agriculture, farmers, and ruralareas have made important contributions in various aspects to stabilisingmacroeconomics, ensuring major balances, sustaining growth, and boostingeconomic recovery in 2021 when the economy faces serious COVID-19-inducedimpacts, stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a conference held in Hanoi onDecember 29.
The conference, run by the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, reviewed the operations of the sector in 2021 and kicked off plansset for 2022.
In his speech at the event, Chinh praised the sector forovercoming difficulties and flexibly adapting to challenges from naturaldisasters, diseases, and supply chain disruptions to meet its yearly targets.
In 2021, the sector saw its added value increasing by 2.9percent, forest coverage rate reaching 42.02 percent, and export turnoverhitting 48.6 billion USD.
The PM also pointed to such shortcomings asdevelopment, particularly of marine economy, yet to be on par with potential; inadequateattention to tackling climate change impacts; weak post-harvest processingcapacity; undiversified export markets; and a lack of breakthrough policies toattract more investment; among others.
Ordering these issues to be thoroughly addressed, Chinhagreed with the sector’s goals and solutions earmarked for 2022. Accordingly, nextyear, the sector will strive to achieve a growth rate of 2.8 - 2.9 percent;production value growth rate of 2.9 - 3.0 percent; total export turnover ofabout 49 billion USD; and forest cover rate of 42 percent.
The PM requested the sector to conduct effective COVID-19prevention and control, mobilise all resources serving sustainable agriculturaldevelopment, make prompt supply – demand and market predictions, develop morenational products, and boost production capacity, among others.
Chinh highlighted the importance of developing a sustainablemaritime economy, having the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” removed,and strengthening forest management, protection and development. It is alsonecessary to focus on digital transformation in agriculture, restructuring thesector toward sustainability, and boosting people’s living standards, he added.
At the conference, on behalf of Party and State leaders, Chinhpresented gifts to individuals with outstanding contributions to theagricultural sector and to the overall cause of national construction anddefence./.
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Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
