Forest development farmed out to Kon Tum province

Kon Tum province must develop and protect its forests while strictly handling the deforestation of natural forests, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told provincial officials on July 3.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a meeting with Kon Tum leaders
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a meeting with Kon Tum leaders

At the working session in Hanoi, he asked the Central Highlands province to speed up agricultural restructuring by fostering the farming of livestock and crops it has strength in, along with applying high technology.

While Kon Tum province, which is home to a large number of ethnic minorities, has to expand educational coverage to improve the local intellectual level and ensure political security, social order as well as safety in all areas.

Pointing out several shortcomings the province has to deal with as soon as possible, the PM requested the local administration take measures to increase State budget revenue and boost poverty elimination. It must proactively gear up resources for building infrastructure, especially transport facilities which are yet to be on par with local development demand.

The PM also told leaders of Kon Tum to enforce the Government’s resolutions on business support, and to raise local residents’ material and spiritual life.

He highly valued its efforts in protecting forests and cultivating rare herbal plants such as Ngoc Linh ginseng, which is indigenous to the province, and profitable industrial plants such as coffee. The province has also well implemented the Party and State’s guidelines and policies on ethnic minority and religious affairs.

In the first half of 2016, local GDP was estimated at VND4.23 trillion (nearly US$190 million), a year-on-year hike of 5.03%.
Industrial production was valued at VND2.13 trillion (US$95.6 million), while total retail sales of goods and services stood at VND6.82 trillion (US$306.3 million), respectively up 8% and 12.4% from a year earlier. The province raked in US$32 million in export revenue, representing 49.2% of the annual target.

Notably, Kon Tum has successfully grown approximately 74,780ha of rubber trees, 180ha of Ngoc Linh ginseng, and about 50ha of winter vegetables and flowers.

However, drought between January and June caused water shortages for over 4,190ha of rice, other crops and industrial trees, resulting in damage worth over VND157 billion (US$7 million). More than 12,640 families still have limited access to water for daily use.

At the working session, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed on the construction of a highway linking Bo Y border gate (adjacent to Laos), Ngoc Hoi district (bordering Laos and Cambodia), and Pleiku city to boost transport capacity and economic growth.