Vietnam has targeted to ship abroad agricultural products worth 7.4 billion U.S. dollars this year, up nearly 2.8 percent over last year, according to sources from the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Wednesday.

To this end, it will focus on boosting production of items with big export advantages, establishing large-scale production zones attached to processing establishments and markets, and developing husbandry industry.

Vietnam will increase its acreage of paddy rice to 7.2 million hectares with expected output of 36 million tons, and maize to 1.1 million hectares with 4.2 million tons in 2007. Meanwhile, the country's cultivation acreage of rubber, coffee, cashew, and tea will rise to 520,000 hectares, 490,000 hectares, 370,000 hectares and 123,000 hectares respectively.

The country plans to have 29 million pigs, 6.6 million bulls, 3 million buffaloes, and 240 million fowls by the end of 2007.

In addition, it will center on building brands, registering product trademarks, improving quality, further tapping traditional markets such as China, the United States, Japan and the European Union, and seeking new ones.

Vietnam exported nearly 7.2 billion dollars worth of agriculture and forestry products in 2006, up 19.7 percent in 2005.

Source: Xinhua