The directive, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, aims to promote production and exports in the key agricultural sector amidst the ongoing pandemic.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked localities to prioritize vaccination for workers in the agricultural sector and to ensure that pandemic safety measures in safe and low-risk areas are favorable for workers to resume production.

Localities should develop production and export plans for agricultural products to avoid disrupting production chains and promote agricultural growth, he said.

The ongoing fourth wave of Covid-19 has seriously affected the production, circulation, consumption and export of agricultural products, especially in areas where strict social distancing measures are still in force.

Market observers have cautioned that unsold agricultural products and disrupted production chains will hinder supplies in the near future.

The export turnover of agriculture, forestry and fisheries products is estimated at $32.1 billion in the first eight months of the year, up 21.6 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Vietnam has vaccinated nearly 28.7 million people, among them 6.9 million with two doses.