Resilience after 50 years

The homeland stopped the sound of bombs and bullets. The Party, army and people of Ca Mau continued to unite, both striving to heal the wounds of war and persistently overcoming difficulties, determined to rise up. People returned to their fields and gardens, restored production and rebuilt villages devastated by the war. The economic structure during this period was mainly agriculture, forestry and fishery. The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in 1975 was 226.2 million VND, and in 1985 it was 3,446.3 million VND.

Implementing the renovation policy in the period of 1986-1990, Minh Hai province (now Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces) developed its economy with three strengths of agriculture - forestry - fishery, achieving many important achievements. In particular, developing aquaculture with a joint venture model of scientific aquaculture production (intensive shrimp farming combined with forest planting, shrimp farming combined with forest protection...). Minh Hai's joint venture model was visited and studied by many provinces such as Quang Ninh, Ha Nam Ninh, Gia Lai, Long An... GRDP increased by an average of 4.48% in the period of 1986-1990, and by an average of 6.88% in the period of 1991-1995.

Colonel Nguyen Xuan Hung, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Military Command of Bac Lieu Province, recalled: “In 1997, when Minh Hai Province was split into Ca Mau and Bac Lieu Provinces, the average income was only over 3 million VND/person/year. The first Congress of the Executive Committee of the Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee (11th term) for the 1997-2000 term also took place this year, marking a new turning point for the homeland. Since then, electricity has gradually reached the centers of communes, traffic routes connecting the province to the centers of districts have been developed, and the appearance of Ca Mau has gradually improved.”

The light of industry came to the southernmost land when, in the period of 2008-2012, the Ca Mau Gas - Power - Fertilizer Industrial Cluster, a national-scale project, with the MP3 - Ca Mau gas pipeline, the Power Plant, and the Fertilizer Plant, came into operation one after another, creating a strong boost for Ca Mau's economy in the process of industrialization and modernization. Up to now, the total revenue of the units in the Ca Mau Gas - Power - Fertilizer Cluster has reached about 13.5 billion USD, contributing over 21,000 billion VND to the State budget, implementing social security work of nearly 731 billion VND, of which 300 billion VND was supported for Ca Mau province, creating jobs for more than 1,533 workers...

Up to now, the total revenue of the units of Ca Mau Gas - Electricity - Fertilizer Complex has reached about 13.5 billion USD, contributing over 21,000 billion VND to the State budget.

Along with economic development is the improvement of cultural and social fields, digital transformation... promoting comprehensive innovation. Up to now, the whole province has 66/82 communes recognized as meeting new rural standards, reaching 80.5%; 386/486 schools meeting national standards, reaching 79.4%. Poverty reduction has achieved many achievements, by the end of 2024, the province will have only 2,890 poor households, accounting for 0.94% and 3,865 near-poor households, accounting for 1.26%. There are no more poor households, near-poor households are people who have contributed to the revolution.

Affirming the strength of the southernmost point

Ca Mau is the only locality in the country that has 3 sides facing the sea, with a coastline of more than 250 km (accounting for 1/3 of the entire coastline of the Mekong Delta), with huge potential for fisheries. The 71,000 km² sea area is considered one of the 4 key national fishing grounds, with abundant seafood reserves, diverse species, and a powerful fishing fleet of more than 4,500 vessels. The province's aquatic products have been exported to more than 60 countries, including demanding markets such as the US, Japan and the EU.

As the province with the largest aquaculture and aquaculture area in the country, this is a favorable condition for Ca Mau to develop into a seafood processing center of the region as well as the whole country.

In addition, Ca Mau also has great potential for developing renewable energy, especially wind power and solar power. The province has 12 wind power projects under implementation, with a total capacity of 700 MW, of which 3 wind power plants have been put into commercial operation, connecting to the national grid with more than 100 MW.

With its strategic geographical location, located in the center of the Southeast Asian sea and close to international shipping routes, Ca Mau has many advantages in trading with countries in the region and the world. The construction of a bridge to Hon Khoai Island is a very important strategic direction for the country as well as for Ca Mau province, thereby opening up great opportunities to strengthen cooperation in socio-economic development, especially in the field of fisheries economy.

Building a bridge from the mainland to Hon Khoai is a very important strategic direction for the country as well as for Ca Mau province.

Based on its potential strengths, Ca Mau province promotes economic restructuring, associated with growth model innovation, improving productivity and competitiveness, based on digital transformation, science and technology and innovation, developing green economy, circular economy, adapting to climate change... Accordingly, the province focuses on developing industries with higher added value and greater growth potential, such as renewable energy, deep processing industry and support services; applying scientific and technical advances to aquaculture and seafood processing, such as shrimp farming with biofloc technology, greenhouses, automation of processing processes... to build an effective and sustainable chain.

Up to now, the province's average GRDP per capita has reached 72.6 million VND/person/year, total aquatic product output has reached 647 thousand tons, export turnover is estimated at 1.26 billion USD, total rice output is about 570 thousand tons, budget revenue has reached 5,945 billion VND. Transportation has developed rapidly, many large projects have been completed, meeting the needs of trade within and outside the province.

Implementing digital transformation, Ca Mau has integrated technology into the education system, aiming to improve the quality of teaching, learning and management.

The planning of Ca Mau province for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, has been approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 1386/QD-TTg dated November 16, 2023. Accordingly, Ca Mau province will prioritize the allocation of resources to organize the synchronous and effective implementation of development space according to the model of 3 economic regions, 5 growth poles, 2 economic corridors and many development linkage axes, with the aspiration to become the "Southernmost continent" of the country as the Central Government's orientation for Ca Mau province.

Every time he met with retired officials, former Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Pham Thanh Tri expressed his excitement that Ca Mau province has many conditions and opportunities to accelerate development, especially prioritizing investment in synchronous development of infrastructure, such as: completing the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway by 2025; upgrading and expanding Ca Mau Airport; investing in the construction of the Ca Mau - Dat Mui expressway; upgrading and expanding key traffic routes; building the Hon Khoai Integrated Seaport Project and the connecting route from the mainland to the island; expanding factories in the Ca Mau Gas - Electricity - Fertilizer Industrial Cluster...

The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day is an opportunity to review the heroic history of the nation and homeland, while adding strength, will and determination for Ca Mau to break through and become the "Southernmost continent", entering a new era with the whole country./.

Dream of the Ordinary

Source: https://baocamau.vn/khat-vong-phat-trien-vung-dat-cuc-nam-a38577.html