The first high-tech agricultural zones to be built



Ha Noi, Feb. 11 (VNA) -- Two first-ever high-tech agricultural zones will be built in Viet Nam this year, says Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Nguyen Thien Luan.

The two zones would be located in Ba Vi district, northern Ha Tay province, and Hung Loc district, southern Dong Nai province. They would be completed within three years, Luan told Lao Dong newspaper and were expected to be followed by others.

Construction of the two high-tech agricultural zones is part of the sector's five major tasks - building a model of technology transfer to farmers.

Luan said high-technology in agricultural production was the application of bio-technology to create high-yields and improve post-harvest quality.

The two zones would be dedicated to fruit trees because this was thought effective in changing the structure of plants.

The graft-on-radical stock technology would be applied mostly to fruit trees, creating new strains suitable to local climates and high-yield production.

The application of dwarf-free technology would create two-three-five-metre high trees, resulting in high density. Umbrelli-form and rejuvenation technologies would also be used in the zones to produce wide-shade trees with stems of plentiful fruits and young-stem trees, raising output.

The new methods would raise the per-hectare fruit yield to about 20-100 tonnes from 1.5-10 tonnes or earning of VND 500 million (USD 35,700) per ha.

Further, the two high-tech agricultural zones would provide more jobs for local people.--VNA