Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has emphasized that in agricultural production, the first priority is to build and disseminate agricultural product brands.

He also noted that to build a brand, deep processing must be invested in simultaneously.

“When producing, we must first understand what the market needs, not what we currently have,” he said while chairing his 2024 dialogue with farmers on December 31.

This year’s dialogue, held in-person at the Government Office and connected to the People's Committees of all 63 provinces and centrally-run cities, attracted over 4,500 delegates, including more than 2,000 farmers and cooperative representatives.

“To achieve this, the Government and businesses must take responsibility for market research and trade promotion, and farmers must also change their thinking,” said PM Chinh.

According to the PM, linking businesses with farmers and deep processing are two weak links that require greater effort. To solve this problem, policies are needed to encourage businesses, including prioritizing land taxes, fees, and credit incentives.

“When we shift our thinking from agricultural production to agricultural economics, we must pay attention to the agricultural ecosystem, which must include rural industrialization, connecting agriculture with industry, and the interdependency of agriculture with other sectors. Now, as we transition to green production, support is needed for capital and markets,” he said.

"For example, rice and livestock production release a lot of CO2. To reduce emissions, support from credit institutions is needed. Or, prioritizing new varieties to reduce emissions... In the past, have we seen policies supporting farmers being strong enough? If not, farmers should provide feedback on whether the policies are effective in practice," the Prime Minister questioned.

He believes that this issue is not only the responsibility of farmers, but also the responsibility of local authorities and ministries to work together to solve.

A highlight of the year’s achievements, he pointed out, was the record-breaking agricultural export-import turnover, which reached approximately $62.5 billion, far exceeding the Prime Minister’s target of $55 billion.

Regarding investment in agriculture, the Government leader clearly stated his viewpoint that "Investment in agriculture must follow the principle of public investment leading private investment, activating all social resources for development. When we aim to double investment, it doesn't mean doubling government funds, but rather involving the private sector."