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Can Tho aims to be economic hub
The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta City of Can Tho has untapped potential as an industrial hub for the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region, according to experts.
During the past five years, the city built and improved infrastructure, focusing on road and irrigation works.
Many key traffic works have been put into operation, including the second-phase of the Cai Cui Port, Nam Song Hau Road, National Road 91B, and the road that links Can Tho City and Vi Thanh City in Hau Giang Province.
The recently built Can Tho Bridge is one of the longest and largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, and Can Tho Airport has been upgraded to an international standard.
Can Tho City also plans to open eight industrial parks and more than 50 credit institutions with 223 transaction offices across the city.
A number of research centres and educational institutions in the city are currently serving as centres for development of industry, agriculture, education and training, culture and healthcare.
In addition, dyke systems have been built along Can Tho, Rach Cai Khe, Rach Khai Luong rivers.
The city is developing more than 40 projects to build residential areas for resettled residents, with a total investment of VND13.5 trillion (US$648 million).
Supermarkets, wholesale markets, restaurants, hotels and centres of trade, tourism and services have also been built.
In addition to training human resources and ensuring social welfare, the area's socio-economic development plan until 2020, with a vision to 2030, targets the city as one of the country's largest economic hub.
Its aim is to shift the economy from agriculture to industry, trade, services and hi-tech agriculture. Industry and construction would account for 44.6 per cent of the economy, and trading and services nearly 46 per cent.
Every year, the city contributes about 18.14 per cent to the region's industrial production value.
Leading industry sectors include the aquaculture processing industry, rice exports, fruit and vegetables, medicine, chemicals, building materials, textiles and garments, and wood processing. Industrial products have been exported to 80 nations and territories worldwide.
The Prime Minister has given approval for the city to develop three additional industrial parks with a total area of 1,600ha, which could pave the way for the city to become an industrial city by 2020.
As for agriculture, the city is applying cutting-edge technology in production and creating large production areas that produce high-quality products, helping to gradually shift to high-quality urban agriculture.
Last year, the production value on 1ha of agricultural land reached VND62.3 million ($3,000), an increase of nearly VND42 million ($2,000) on 1ha of agricultural land compared to six years ago.
During the last five years, total investment capital of the entire city reached more than VND92 trillion ($4.4 billion), contributing nearly VND25.5 trillion ($1.2 billion) to the State budget.
Last year, gross domestic product (GDP) of the city reached VND19,887 billion ($954 million).
Income per capita reached nearly VND49 million ($2,300) per year, which topped the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region.
Year-on-year economic growth reached more than 15.13 per cent in the 2006-10 period.
Even during the prolonged economic downturn, the GDP growth of Can Tho City reached 14.46 per cent last year.
The province's competitiveness index ranked second among the cities that are under control of the central Government in Ha Noi.
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