During his working session with key officials of Soc Trang in Hanoi on November 21, the PM highlighted Soc Trang’s assets and its potential for further development in the future.
He asked the local government to review its development plan, saying that this should focus on agricultural restructuring, poverty reduction and climate change adaptation, he said.
Soc Trang needs to consider developing into the country's second- or third-largest shrimp production area and study to produce high-value products such as by cow-breeding and rice cultivation, he added.
Attention should be paid to attracting businesses to invest in the locale and to promote the processing industry to create more jobs for locals, he stressed.
He also urged Soc Trang to build a national startup programme to develop startup enterprises in the locale.
At the session, leaders from several ministries recommended the local government devise solutions to climate change and drought, mobilise their resources to upgrade transport infrastructure and attract more foreign-funded projects.
Concluding the session, PM Phuc praised the local authorities and the people of Soc Trang for their efforts in implementing the national target programme on the construction of new-style rural areas.
However, the locality has yet to fully tap its potential and assets for development, he noted, adding that Soc Trang should take more drastic measures to reduce the rate of poor households in the future.
Local officials said Soc Trang is working to foster tourism and service development while calling for investment in industries and in the construction of a high-speed train to Con Dao aimed at developing spiritual tourism.
Soc Trang is a disadvantaged locale in the country whose economy mainly depends on agriculture and aquaculture.
The province was been affected by saline intrusion and prolonged drought early this year, severely hindering agricultural production. These issues have made it difficult for the locale to realise its 8% growth target for this year.
