Can Tho targets 12.5% GDP growth
(VOV) -The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is targeting a 2014 gross domestic product (GDP) of VND87.5 trillion, the equivalent of a 12.5% growth rate from 2013.
The Municipal People’s Committee announced the target as part of the 2014 local economic development plan released on December 17.
Municipal Planning and Investment Department Director Nguyen Van Hong said achieving the ambitious target will require provincial economic development programs to focus on infrastructure construction, industry, trade, and services.
The city will begin land and water transportation projects, bolster local electricity and water supplies, upgrade market and supermarket networks, and improve industrial park infrastructure in response to investors’ demands.
It will also support the development of its rice processing industry and aquaculture, and encourage an export industry shift away from raw materials to higher added value products.
Can Tho will encourage industrial energy efficiency measures, and look to create the industrial clusters that support added value chains and better international competitiveness.
In 2014, the city expects to produce 325,000 tonnes of seafood, 4.6 million tonnes of rice, 37 million garments, 9.5 million pairs of shoes, 140,000 tonnes of fertilisers, and 1.1 million tonnes of cement. It expects to bring the value of provincial industrial output to VND97.6 trillion, or 39.3% of the provincial economy as a whole.
Can Tho will expand its wholesale and retail networks along with the “Vietnamese buy Vietnamese goods” campaign, support businesses in trade promotion both at home and abroad.
The city aims to raise its key export value of rice, seafood, garments, footwear, iron, steel, handicrafts, and pharmaceuticals to US$1.65 billion in 2014 or 10% higher than in 2013.
Can Tho will continue advertising local tourism in conjunction with other Mekong River Delta provinces, aiming for a 4% increase in visitor numbers, or a 2014 total of 1.3 million tourists.