Protecting plants is protecting the health of 100 million Vietnamese

A victorious year for market opening

On December 8, the Plant Protection Department (PPD) held a conference to review the work in 2022 and implement the work plan in 2023.

Director of the Plant Protection Department Hoang Trung said that this year plant protection officers from central to local levels had kept a close eye on the fields, supervising the occurrence and harm of plant pests to successfully protect the production crops, contributing to ensuring food security, restoring agroproduction and business, and supporting the economy even when in difficult conditions.

“The work of international cooperation and market opening for Vietnamese agro-products is still well maintained, achieving many positive results, contributing to the growth of export of agro-products in general and fresh fruit in particular. Some prime examples include the signing of the export contract of fresh pomelos to the USA, lemons and pomelos to New Zealand, durian and sweet potatoes to be officially exported to China," said Director Hoang Trung.

Up to now, the Plant Protection Department has granted 5,325 planting area codes and 1,438 packing facility codes for export to markets such as the USA, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, China. The export goods vary from fresh fruits and vegetable products of all kinds, rice, tea, and sweet potato.

With the goal of maintaining and strengthening the management of the industry in the new context of comprehensive international economic integration, in 2023, the Plant Protection Department will strengthen the direction to units and localities to proactively grasp the situation, provide instructions, and timely direct the plant protection work.

At the same time, the PPD will better apply information technology and digital transformation program in administrative reform, directing and operating; strengthen information dissemination work; raise the awareness of producers about the use of fertilizers and pesticides to ensure food safety; promote IPM models, technical advances, and new technologies in crop production.

Protecting the health of 100 million Vietnamese

Expressing opinions on the prevention of harmful organisms in the future, Director of the Department of Crop Production Nguyen Nhu Cuong said that the increasingly complex climate change would become the context for the emergence of unpredictable harmful objects. The forecasting work thus needed to be implemented proactively so that the industry would be ready to respond and minimize damage.

And according to Nguyen Van Son, Acting Chairman of the Vietnam Pesticide Association (VIPA), the Plant Protection Department should continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to provide training, improve farmers’ capacity and raise awareness of the people on environmental protection.

“The most important issue in pesticide production and trading is to present safe and responsible production procedures to agricultural producers. VIPA and PPD therefore need to develop safe, economical, efficient and responsible farming processes with the participation of other associations and businesses," said Nguyen Van Son.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that the results the PPD achieved x in 2022 were not only tasks assigned by the Party, State, Government and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, but also a duty and responsibility. They were what should be done, what need to be done for farmers.

“In 2022, the plant protection sector has had many ideas and modes of operation, thereby bringing a new vitality and energy that transforms into results. Those working in the plant protection sector have the right to be proud of these results as they have greatly contributed to the overall achievements of the agricultural sector", said Minister Le Minh Hoan.

In addition to being the ones who execute plant protection work, they are also the ones who show people on how to protect their crops, who is the one to guide people with their broad information and methods in terms of production processes.

Affirming that the plant protection work not only protects plant species but also protects the living environment, biodiversity, human life, the health of 100 million Vietnamese and future generations, the commander of the agriculture sector hoped that the plant protection officers were able to see the value of their work and contribution to society, igniting the flame to strive for the better.