Production and consumption of agricultural products in the Mekong delta

Abstract

Thanks to its favorable natural and socio-economic conditions and coupled with encouragement from the “doi moi” policy of the Party and State...the Mekong delta has become the country’s key largest agricultural producing region. However, the farmers there are now running into many difficulties with the production and sales of their commodities. Based on the results of the surveys, the paper refers to the production and consumption of agricultural products in the Mekong delta in the 1995-2001 period and raises some pressing problems in following aspects:

1. Advantages and disadvantages in agricultural production and animal raising; collective economic organisations of farmers households in the countryside.
2. Major distribution channels of agricultural commodities (the distribution system of rice, fruit, livestock-raising products; and difficulties in the sale of agricultural products).
3. Profitability of some agricultural products (analysing costs and productivity in growing rice, pigs, fruits; possibility of developing forms of cooperation in the sale of agricultural products; support from the Government).
4. The situation of agricultural product preserving, processing system; the potentials of processed agricultural products in terms of both advantages and obstacles.
5. Relationship between farmers and consumption of agricultural products; possibilities of building up links and cooperative organisations; and support from the State.

Economic Studies Vol.295(12) 2002 p.24-32