Foreign Investors in Agricultural projects



Ha Noi, Nov. 6 (VNA) --

*Agricultural Sector Draws in 340 FDI Projects

As many as 340 foreign-invested projects with a combined capital of USD 2,272 million have been granted licenses to operate in the agricultural sector since 1988 when the country's foreign investment law was promulgated.

The figures represent 12 percent of the country' licensed FDI projects and 6 percent in terms of investment capital.

The projects have helped transfer plant and animal species of international standards, thus contributing to diversifying, crop structures and raising agro-forest products' competitiveness.

Foreign-invested projects have generated jobs for hundreds of thousands of rural workers who get involved in processing farm produce and other kinds of services.

*Nation Has 11,670 Farms

Currently the country has 11,670 livestock breeding farms with pig farms accounting for 45.5 percent poultry farms, 26.6 percent and cattle farms, 18.7 percent.

As many as 68 percent of the farms are in southern provinces with the rest in midland and mountainous provinces and provinces nearby major cities of Ha Noi and Hai Phong in the north.

* Agro-forest Product Processing Output Increases 32 Percent

Agro-forest product processing enterprises under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development obtained an output value of VND 369.2 billion (roughly USD 26.3 million) in October, a year-on-year increase of 32 percent.

This brought the agro-forestry sector's output value to VND 4,194.9 billion USD 299.6 million) in 10 months, more than 15 percent over the same period last year.