Vinh Long looks to expand collaboration with Niigata prefecture of Japan

At a reception for a Niigata delegation led by Kanai Kenichi, director of the prefecture's Department of Labour and Industry, the provincial leader said that Niigata boasts strengths in agriculture, being one of the largest granaries in Japan. The prefecture is also one of the localities with high demand for labour, mainly in the fields of agriculture and seafood processing.

Located in the centre of the Mekong Delta, Vinh Long has great potential for agriculture production, aquatic products processing and tourism development. The province is home to 10,000-12,000ha of sweet potato with a total annual output of about 235,000 tonnes. It also produces nearly 1 million tonnes of unhusked rice a year.

Each year, more than 1,000 labourers in the locality are sent to work in Japan each year, accounting for 85% of the total number of local workers working abroad under fixed term contracts, the official noted.

"Vinh Long wishes to boost cooperation with Niigata prefecture in some areas including training high quality human resources, sending trained workers to the Japanese locality; trade investment promotion; applying high technology in agricultural production as well as cultural and tourism exchanges to tighten the relations at local level and enhance understanding between the people of the two localities," Ngoi said.

For his part, Kenichi told the host that Niigata is the leading locality in terms of rice cultivation area and output with a total agricultural production value of JPY225.4 billion (US$1.6 billion). The prefecture also has a number of leading manufacturing industries in the country.

The delegation will conduct more surveys to promote cooperation and exchanges with Vinh Long in many fields in the coming time, he said.