Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta link to develop a green, sustainable economic value chain

Form value chain links with high professionalism

On January 11, 2022, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 45/2022/QH15 on piloting several specific mechanisms and policies to develop Can Tho City. On June 24, 2023, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15, piloting a specific policy mechanism for the development of Ho Chi Minh City.

This is not only an opportunity for the two "economic locomotives" - Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City- to develop but also for the entire Mekong Delta and Southeast region. socio-economic development in the near future. Thereby affecting the connection, production, processing and consumption of agricultural products in the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.

Therefore, linking to maximize the potential and advantages of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta region is a long-term solution to stabilize and develop a common direction towards NetZero.

According to Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, it has become urgent to research and exploit specific strengths and apply policy mechanisms between the two centrally run cities to share experiences and solve problems. difficulties, find opportunities, and promote strengths and potential.

In particular, the Project of the Center for Linking, Production, Processing, and Consumption of Agricultural Products in the Mekong Delta in Can Tho City (referred to as the Linking Center) enjoys specific and expected policy mechanisms. will create new growth momentum for the whole region and Can Tho City.

The remaining forms of connection are only at the testing stage. Therefore, the formation of highly professional value chains is essential, limiting the loss of synchronization in supply and demand, overcoming vulnerabilities, and causing disruptions in the supply chain of goods.

In agricultural production in the Mekong Delta, leaders of the People's Committee of Can Tho City acknowledge that there is always a shortage of quality plant varieties, a lack of technical and management capacity of farmers, and agricultural technical infrastructure has not been invested synchronously.

Processing and processing agricultural products is the weakest step. Processing factories have not met the needs of raw materials from farmers, causing waste and reducing the value of farm products.

The Mekong Delta region is having difficulty accessing consumer markets. Distribution channels are not yet developed. It isn't easy to access retail channels. More specifically, the Mekong Delta lacks policy mechanisms to attract large businesses to invest in agricultural processing technology, so it has not created a driving force for developing the region, which has advantages in agricultural production.

Ben Tre will become a "satellite" for Ho Chi Minh City

Standing Vice Chairman of Ben Tre Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Truc Son acknowledged that, in the context of increasingly fierce competition and the impacts of climate change, each locality and region cannot stand aside from taking decisive steps. Therefore, provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta have recently linked together to form sub-regions: Dong Thap Muoi, Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Ca Mau Peninsula, etc...

Mr. Son said that Ben Tre is located between the two most prominent centers in the region and the country. Therefore, Ben Tre will take advantage of all conditions and advantages to promote links and accompany cities to promote common economic development, aiming for bigger, more distant goals.

Mr. Nguyen Phuong Lam, Director of the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry Can Tho branch, said that integrated planning for the entire Mekong Delta region is essential to link the region effectively. After 2 years of implementing the Mekong Delta region planning, a series of investment projects in the field of transport and irrigation infrastructure development were implemented, such as Cai Lon - Cai Be irrigation system project phase 1 ; 3 backbone expressways including: North-South expressway, Can Tho - Ca Mau section, Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway, Cao Lanh - An Huu expressway... When these works are completed, the bottlenecks of the remaining structures will be removed, opening up new development space for the whole region.

At the Mekong Connect 2023 Forum, delegates said that the Mekong Delta region is one of the lands rich in resources, making an essential contribution to Vietnam's agricultural production and export. In particular, Ho Chi Minh City is the country's most significant economic center and a primary trade gateway.

Strengthening the connection between these two areas will create synchronization in economic development while opening up business and investment opportunities for businesses.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to have specific mechanisms and policy levers to strengthen economic and trade links between Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta region. In particular, in developing the green economy and circular economy, there need to be persistent efforts from localities and central ministries to have adaptive and long-term solutions to build a green economy, mitigating vulnerabilities caused by climate change to promote cooperation and linkages for sustainable development.