Ba Ria - Vung Tau province has the highest GRDP per capita in the country

According to data released by Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office, the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) was estimated at approximately VND1,299 trillion (US$56.5 billion) in 2021, down 6.78% year on year. Despite witnessing the deepest GRDP decline in history, HCM City remained the largest economy in the country in 2021.

Data released by local statistics offices

Hanoi was the second largest economy with VND1,067 trillion (US$46.5 billion), followed by Binh Duong province with VND408.9 trillion (US$17.8 billion), up 2.62% year on year.

By GRDP per capita, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province ranked first in the country with VND281.24 million (US$12,200), followed by Quang Ninh with VND176 million (US$5,300), according to local data.

Obviously, the above chart shows that 10 localities with the highest-growing GDP are strong in industry, trade and service, not agriculture.

“No trade, no prosperity; no industry, no activity”

When we are writing this article, the price of winter-spring rice of 2021-2022 season in the Mekong Delta has dropped by VND50-100 per kilo from the previous month.

When we are writing this article, the price of winter-spring rice of the 2021-2022 crop in the Mekong Delta is decreasing by VND50-100 per kilogram as compared to the previous month. Specifically, fresh OM 18 rice is priced at VND5,700 - 5,800 a kilogram; OM 5451 rice at VND5,500; Dai Thom 8 rice at VND5,700 - 5,800; and IR 50404 rice at VND5,400. Farmers are still not very happy because of high production costs amid volatile selling prices.

People in the Mekong Delta is living a more difficult life because of drought and saltwater intrusion

Nearly 50 years after the southern liberation and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2022) but the agriculture sector has not been able to solve the price-output quiz. Farmers are still living a hard life because of continuous rising production costs, lurking harmful pests and superficial and loose connection of farmers - government - business - banks. Instead of having agricultural stabilization solutions, farmers need a “rescue” from the government, community and society because they cannot sell out their products. Only that much is enough to see agricultural instability after half a century of national reunification.

In other countries like Singapore and Japan where their agricultural potential is poor though, their agriculture has developed very robustly. Or as in China where people living in rural areas have rapidly decreased, it is making way for industry and trade development with reasonable stimulus policies and strategies.

Boosted by a strong industrial chain, China has exported essential products, from daily necessities to electronic devices and therapeutic drugs, to the global market.

The GDP per capita of the world's most populous country reached $12,551, making China the first billion-populated country in the world to officially enter the high-income threshold.

This success is largely due to the strategic policy of the Chinese government, including an open mechanism created for private business development, reduced dependence on agriculture, and focused capacity building of manufacturing, trade and tourism services.

 
A corner of Shanghai today

The economy needs a change of fate

The current Land Law is exposing many shortcomings and upsetting investors in many situations. Specifically, in Item b, Article 58, it underestimates the role of local government (People’s Council) when it is empowered to allow investors to only change the purpose of using agricultural land of less than 10 ha of rice land, or 20 ha of protective and special-use forest land.

While the Prime Minister is very busy and central authorities are still working on unsolved issues, the Land Law does restrict the power of the Provincial People's Council to a small area of land that needs changing the purpose of use.

When will farmers be able to change their fate?

How many more years will we need to turn Vietnam into a dragon or a tiger as we have long expected if we are a strong agricultural country for good. It's time that definition needs to be changed with positive thinking and drastic action, not relying on things that drag on us or slow us.

Conditions for land allocation, land lease and change of land use purpose to implement investment projects

1. For investment projects that use paddy land or protective forest land or land for special-use forests for other purposes and are other than those to be decided by the National Assembly or approved in principle by the Prime Minister, competent authorities may only decide on land allocation or land lease or permit change of land use purpose when one of the following documents is available:

a) The written approval by the Prime Minister for change of land use purpose for the paddy land with an area of 10 ha or more, and for protective forest or special-use forest with a land area of 20 ha or more;

b) The resolution of the provincial People’s Council for change of land use purpose for the paddy land with an area less than 10 ha, and for protective forest or special-use forest with a land area less than 20 ha.

2. For investment projects which use land on islands or in border or coastal communes, wards, or townships, competent authorities may only decide on land allocation, land lease, or change of land use purpose upon receiving written approval from related ministries and authorities.

3. Those who are allocated land or leased land by the government, or permitted by the government to change land use purposes to implement investment projects must meet the following conditions:

a) Having financial capacity to ensure the land use according to the investment project’s schedule