Mr Trong reported that the Fertilizer and Petroleum Chemistry Company belonging to the Phu My factory has managed to make a profit in 2006, its first year of operation. This year alone, the company produced more than 600,000 tonnes of fertilizer, earning US$175 million.

The NA chief praised the company's efforts to expand its distributing network nationwide and diversify its products to meet demands of different customers.

However, Mr Trong recommended that the company should pay attention to labour safety and environmental protection, a common and major problem in industrial zones.

The Phu My factory is one of the country's four key projects and was designed to cash in on gas and oil substances coming from the rich offshore oilfields in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. The fertilizer company alone has received investment of US$370 million in infrastructure and technology, generating jobs for more than 1,000 labourers.