Addressing the workshop, the Head of the Cultivation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Tri Ngoc said under the draft strategy, the Mekong Delta plays a key role in the national food security.

The region makes up between 52 and 55 percent of the national rice output and over 90 percent of the national rice export volumes. The Mekong Delta is also regarded as the national orchard which produces over 80 percent of the national fruit output.

Rice and fruit are two crops of the most potential and high competitiveness against other countries in the region and the world as well, he added.

Prof Vo Tong Xuan called on the drafting board to finalise a master plan for rice production in different parts of the country and submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval. He also pointed out the need to issue an ordinance on land planning to stabilize the land area for the cultivation of rice and other crops.

“It is necessary to set up a food security information network to provide accurate statistics on rice production, harvests and production outputs for both reserves and export,” emphasised the famous agriculturalist.

The national food security strategy calls for maintaining some 4 million ha of rice by 2010 and slightly reducing it to 3.6 million ha by 2020. After 2020 the areas will shrink to 3.5 million ha and stay at this level until 2050.

In contrast to land narrowing, rice production is expected to increase to 36.5 million tonnes by 2010, 39.8 million tonnes by 2020 and 40.5 million tonnes by 2030.