HCM City built the country’s first agricultural technology park, with the Cu Chi District-based facility taking nearly 10 years from actual conception to operation.

Speaking at a meeting with the park’s management last week Nhan said 13 agricultural parks are being planned around the country.

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Hau Giang has recently received approval from the Government to set up a 4,200ha agricultural hi-tech park.

The HCM City park should become a spearhead for growth in the Mekong Delta and south-eastern region, Nhan said.

The 88.17ha park has so far attracted 14 investors who will invest VND450 billion (US$21.6 million) and lease most of the 60ha available inside, according to its management.

The park has also set up a Research and Development Centre for Agricultural High-Technology and a Centre for Business Incubation of Agricultural High Technology.

They have tied up with domestic and foreign universities and institutes to provide training and transfer high-tech farming models.

In more than two years of official operations, the park has transferred 15 production models to more than 20 individuals and organizations in HCM City and neighboring provinces, according to the management.

It has also trained 582 people in using high-tech farming techniques and supplied to the market 54 tons of high-quality hybrid seeds for various vegetables and fruits, including gourds, red chilly, and cucumber.

Investors in the park have created 16 production models and sold 13 of them, including those for planting certain kinds of mushroom.

The city plans to set up more agricultural technology parks for aquaculture and animal husbandry in Cu Chi, Binh Chanh, and Can Gio districts by 2015.