Hanoi (VNA) – Organic farmingis an important part of Vietnam’s agricultural production, and Vietnam’sagriculture must be successful so that the country’s industrialisation andmodernisation reach success, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

He made the remark while addressing a plenarysession of an international forum themed “Vietnam Organic Agriculture –Development and Integration” in Hanoi on December 16.

The event was organised by the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development, the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association,and TH Group. It attracted more than 400 Vietnamese and foreign experts, alongwith representatives of businesses, ministries, sectors and localities.

PM Phuc said the market’s growing demand is agolden chance for the development of organic agriculture in Vietnam. 

He noted the Government will devise necessaryinstitutions, policies, decrees and circulars so as to create conditions fororganic agriculture to develop. 

Many products of Vietnam can be produced byorganic farming, he said, requesting the formation of clean agriculture fornearly 100 million Vietnamese people and for export.

The practice of organic farming in each localityalso demonstrates the responsibility towards the community and futuregenerations, he said.

[Demand for organic product keeps rising]

The Government leader added organic agriculturewill satisfy the demand of a high-end segment in the market and help Vietnambetter integrate into the world. Therefore, it must be developed in amethodological and scientific manner.

Meanwhile, non-organic agriculture should not beunderestimated as with high productivity, it will still keep the role ofensuring national food security, PM Phuc noted.

He called on scientists, farmers, businesses andthe whole society to engage in developing organic agriculture for the sake of aclean environment and the health and happiness of each Vietnamese people.

At the forum, Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the shift from existing agriculturalpractices to organic farming with strict standards is very difficult. Thus, itneeds joint efforts by the Government, businesses and farmers.

Some speakers said it is necessary to harmonisethe interests of farmers and investors so as to consolidate land, which is acondition to boost organic agriculture.

Statistics highlighted at the forum show thatorganic agriculture is developing rapidly in the world with 51 million hectaresand the market potential worth nearly 82 billion USD. Thirty-three of the 63provinces and cities in Vietnam have developed organic farming models, buttheir scale is still small, about 76,000 hectares in total.-VNA