Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat announced the programme at a conference in Hanoi on April 4.

The programme sets a target to develop a large area for clean farming practice meet regional and world standards.

The quality control systems of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) will need to be applied to the country's 80-85 percent of food processing and storage establishments by 2010.

There will be about 30-40 areas of safe vegetable growing in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as in nearby provinces.

About 30,000-40,000 ha will be used to grow clean tea in northern mountainous provinces, while areas for safe poultry and animals will be developed in the Mekong Delta, the southeastern region and the Red river delta.

The ministry will invest in building four standard centres to analyse agricultural products and veterinary medicines in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Can Tho.

Enterprises and sectors are encouraged  to build systems for the examination of biological and chemical polluted residues in farm products and agricultural materials.