Hanoi (VNA) – Some lawmakers have underscoredmajor benefits to be gained from fruit, vegetables and flower export andlogistics services, asking for more attention to boost the development of thesesectors.

They continued to discuss the country’ssocio-economic and State budget situation on November 1, part of the ongoingfourth session of the 14th National Assembly in Hanoi.

Deputy Nguyen Thien Nhan of Ho Chi Minh Citysaid in 2016, Vietnam exported 2.4 billion USD worth of crude oil and 2.45billion USD worth of fruit, vegetables and flower. This was the first timefruit, vegetables and flower exports had surpassed crude oil shipments.Meanwhile, crude oil exports were 31 times higher than fruit and vegetablesexports in 2005, 7.3 billion USD compared to 235 million USD.

He analysed that fruit, vegetables and flowerexports have grown by about 30 percent each year and are forecast to hit 9-10billion USD in 2022. However, export turnover of crude oil has fallen by 900million USD in five years and that of aquatic products has risen by just 5percent annually.

Fruit, vegetables and flower haven’t been listedamong the county’s key agricultural export commodities which have included rice, catfish,and products from mushroom, coffee, brackish water shrimp and ginseng.

Nhan, who is also Secretary of the HCM CityParty Committee, proposed the Government name fruit, vegetables and flower keyexport items.

He said farming these products is a solution toreducing poverty in rural and mountainous areas, adding that each localityshould cultivate typical fruit, vegetables and flower products that suit localconditions.

Regarding logistics services, deputy Nguyen QuocBinh of Hanoi cited data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and theVietnam Business Logistics Association that the value of Vietnam’s logisticsmarket is equivalent to 21-25 percent of the country’s GDP.

Logistics services are an important economicsector that is able to fare well in the country. This industry is a directsolution to helping boost GDP growth and the economy’s competitiveness, henoted.

He pointed out a fact that the logisticsindustry’s contribution to the economy remains modest, only about 2-3 percentof total GDP. Logistics are considered a lucrative but still untapped sector inVietnam because around 80 percent of the logistics market is being run by foreignbusinesses.

While logistics costs are estimated at 7-15percent of GDP in developed countries, they account for 21-25 percent ofVietnam’s GDP, directly hampering economic growth. Therefore, it is importantto cut down logistics costs and improve logistics services, he stressed.

Highlighting advantages for logistics servicesdevelopment, Binh said Vietnam is located in the centre of the Asian-Pacificregion in terms of maritime and air transportation. It is a gateway to the EastSea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, for three of the four economiccorridors in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. It also owns many locationsfavourable for building deep-water seaports and international transit airports.

The deputy said logistics can become a spearheadsector in Vietnam’s economy, and the country should work harder to optimiseexisting potential and advantages.-VNA