Hanoi (VNA) – The forestry sectoraims for at least 7.5 billion USD in export turnover and a 6.6 percent increasein production value in 2017, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Ha Cong Tuan.

 

Addressing a conference held by the VietnamAdministration of Forestry on July 3, Tuan said that in the first six months of2017, the sector basically fulfilled its assigned tasks and targets, which isexpected to help increase the forest coverage to 41.45 percent this year.

However, the sector still faced severalshortcomings. Despite decreasing deforestation, over 1,000 hectares were lostwhile the alternative afforestation progressed slowly, he noted.

He asked relevant agencies to exert effortsto deal with difficulties in forest production, and drastically implement the targetprogramme on sustainable forestry development in 2016-2020 and complete a draftlaw on forest protection and development.

The official also stressed the need to havespecific measures to plant alternative forests.

During January-June, the forest productionvalue grew 5.29 percent. The export turnover of woodwork and forest productsreached 3.77 billion USD, up 12.7 percent year-on-year.

Vietnamese wood products have to date beenshipped to over 100 countries and territories.

In the period, 40,612 hectares ofalternative forests were planted, equivalent to 60 percent of the total areathat needs to be covered.-VNA