Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City and Australia have high potentialfor cooperation in agriculture, especially high technology farming and cattlebreeding, said Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.
Aat a meeting with Anne Ruston, Australian Deputy Minister ofAgriculture and Water Resources in the city on August 23, Phong said that HoChi Minh City wants to develop hi-tech agriculture, adding that the city hasbuilt a high-tech agriculture park and a centre for biotechnology application.
However, he also mentioned various difficulties facing the city’sagricultural sector, asking for experience sharing and technology transfer fromAustralia. Phong also expressed interest in cooperation with Australia incattle breeding.
Currently, the city has 92,000 dairy cows developed from a cow herdimported from Australia, he noted, adding that the city has also imported manycows from Australia for beef.
The Ho Chi Minh City leader also expressed hope that Australia willcreate favourable conditions for the import of farm produce from the city.
For her part, Anne Rustone said that Australia is keen on beefing upaffiliation with Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City – an economic, financial andtrade centre of Vietnam.
She said that Australia is willing to share information and support thecity in accessing modern technologies that are used in Australia, includingthose in cattle breeding.
Australia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources will continueassisting Ho Chi Minh City and other Vietnamese localities in enhancing theproductivity and quality of cattle herds, towards becoming self-reliant in beefsupply, she said.
She also pointed to Vietnam’s strength in producing tropical fruits thatAustralian consumers enjoy.
She suggested Vietnam and Australia build and synchronise standards inquality and food safety to ensure the interests of consumers in both countries.
Australia has 176 projects in Ho Chi Minh City with total investment of morethan 183 million USD. Two-way trade between the city and Australia in the firstseven months of 2017 reached 600 million USD.-VNA
VNA
