The Director General of the Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), Vu Duc Giang, made the statement at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on July 16 to discuss the sector’s plan for export this year.

The sector is implementing three strategic programmes on cloth production, cotton cultivation and personnel training, and is calling for foreign investment in its industrial zones. It is expanding its cotton cultivation acreage in the central provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Ha Tinh, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai and the Central Highland provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Gia Lai.

Regarding raw materials, Vinatex is collaborating with the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam) on a VND4 trillion project to build a plant capable of turning out 180,000 tonnes of synthetic fibre annually. 

The plant is expected to meet 42 percent of the domestic demand for synthetic fibre by 2012.