For instance, the 54ha Tan Phu IP that became operational in 2005 has not had a single investment project to date, the report says.

Similarly, the 109ha Xuan Loc IP and the 183ha Nhon Trach II have only attracted one or two investment projects each over the past years, despite the fact that they have nearly completed their infrastructure constructions including roads, power and water supply and wastewater drainage systems.

Vo Cao Nhat, director of the Dinh Quan IP, said there were 14 investment projects that have registered to lease land, but only six of them have actually done it.

The remaining projects were stuck in financial difficulties because of the economic crisis, so they had not been implemented, Nhat said.

The 331ha Dau Giay IP has only one investment project so far despite the fact that many potential investors have visited the park.

Bo Ngoc Thu, director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, said investment into several IPs was slow because authorities were not encouraging projects in IPs that have not completed building a consolidated wastewater treatment system.

The Tan Phu and Xuan Loc IPs were located in mountainous areas and had disadvantages in transportation and socio-economic infrastructure, she said.

Other IPs like Dau Giay, Giang Dien, Long Khanh had not attracted investment projects because they were still in the process of land clearance and building infrastructure, she added.

Besides, the IPs have to face competition from industrial clusters, according to an investor of Long Khanh IP.

Industrial clusters do not have to build consolidated wastewater treatment system because they only operate in clean production sectors.

Furthermore, land rentals in industrial clusters are cheaper than in IPs.

Dong Nai has 30 IPs with a total area of 9,573ha, including 6,338ha for lease. Of these, 3,719ha have been rented, achieving an occupancy rate of 59 per cent.

The average occupancy rate in IPs nationwide is 46 per cent, according the Ministry of Planning and Investment.