In recent years, the economy of Quang Tri province has continuously maintained a good growth rate, achieving the goal of hunger eradication and poverty reduction. However, the process of restructuring the province's economy still has some limitations, such as economic restructuring, although in the right direction, is still slow; per capita income is low; provincial competitiveness has not been improved; there is no key economic sector as a driving force for development... Therefore, it is necessary to study and propose appropriate and appropriate solutions to restructure the economy in conjunction with transforming the growth model towards improving quality, efficiency and competitiveness.

Exporting wood chips through Cua Viet port - Photo: HNK

Focus on developing advantageous industries

Accordingly, the Quang Tri Industry and Trade sector has actively participated in the process of transforming the growth model and restructuring the economy. In particular, it has focused on developing advantageous basic industries such as energy, wood processing, textiles and garments; focusing on the gas industry, silicate, agricultural, forestry and fishery processing.

Attract textile and garment projects and production of supporting products to industrial parks (IPs) and industrial clusters (ICs) to create production links and supply of raw materials. Attract investment in industries with high economic value and large export potential such as electronic component manufacturing, automobile assembly, export of wood panels, wood chips and sand... Continuously improve productivity, quality, added value and competitiveness of enterprises in the province, creating growth momentum for exports.

In addition, actively attract investment projects in new technology and high-tech industrial products, focusing on developing the fields of biological industry, new materials industry, electronics-digital technology, manufacturing and automation... Complete the project on developing supporting industries to orient the advantageous industries in the area such as textiles and garments and take the lead in projects in the electronics industry, automobile manufacturing industry, high-tech industry, creating a link to promote the development of other industries and fields. Connect FDI enterprises, large enterprises investing in the field of industry and trade with enterprises and investors in Quang Tri to form value chains and supply chains.

Actively attract investment in environmental industrial projects to improve waste treatment capacity, especially waste treatment and recycling technology. Encourage investment in advanced technology to develop construction materials, using available raw materials. Exploit and rationally use available natural raw materials such as sand, stone, soil, towards producing good quality components and materials to serve the construction of works with high technical and quality requirements to limit imports.

In the energy sector, prioritize the exploitation and effective use of renewable and clean energy sources. Optimize and save domestic fossil energy sources. Gradually form a synchronous, competitive and transparent energy market system. Diversify ownership forms and business methods, with the participation of economic sectors, especially the private sector, with a suitable roadmap.

Effectively operate existing power plants; call for investment in construction and operation of Hai Lang LNG Power Center, phase 1, Quang Tri combined cycle gas turbine power plant project, petroleum port warehouse projects... ensuring the prescribed progress; promote investment in construction of power source and grid development projects in sync between the National Power Development Plan and the approved provincial plan, in which priority is given to gas power, wind power, solar power, hydropower projects...

Focus on the export of goods

In the field of export and international integration, the Industry and Trade sector has focused on the export of goods and services in both quantity and quality. Increase the export turnover of manufacturing enterprises; diversify export products and markets, and increase the value of exported goods. Actively and proactively integrate into the international economy, taking advantage of opportunities from Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to maintain and expand export markets.

Accordingly, forming large-scale concentrated agricultural production areas, proactively and ensuring local raw material sources to form industrial parks and processing clusters associated with raw material areas. Encouraging chain linkages between export product processing enterprises and production and livestock households to create a stable source of high-quality raw materials to serve export production well. Focusing on developing agriculture in the direction of organic, clean agriculture, building specialized areas for organic rice, Khe Sanh Arabica coffee, pepper, an xoa medicinal herb extract, ca gai leo, che vang extract, natural essential oils, peanut oil... for export to domestic and foreign markets.

To date, Quang Tri province has 113 OCOP products, of which 42 products have achieved 4 stars and 71 products have achieved 3 stars. The whole province currently has 28,000 hectares of rice land, of which about 3,000 hectares are eligible for organic rice production and 200 hectares of rice are certified to meet organic standards, moving towards forming a specialized area for organic rice export. Quang Tri organic rice is produced on an area of ​​over 35 hectares and is being sold in supermarkets nationwide.

In 2023, for the first time, 15 tons of Quang Tri organic rice were exported to the European market. In the province, there are currently 32 wood chip processing factories, processing about 1.2 million tons of wood chips each year for export to the Chinese market through Cua Viet port with a volume of about 1 million tons, with an average of 1-3 ships departing Cua Viet port every day to transport goods abroad.

Quang Tri is a province with strengths in developing logistics systems because it is located at the starting point on the Vietnamese side of the East-West Economic Corridor. This corridor will connect with the My Thuy deep-water seaport under construction and Cua Viet port.

Quang Tri also has two international land border gates, Lao Bao and La Lay. The logistics infrastructure at Cua Viet port is receiving investment attention, expanding the wharf and by 2024, the port expansion with an area of ​​over 11 hectares is expected to be completed. My Thuy seaport in the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone has a total investment of 14,200 billion VND with 10 wharfs, an area of ​​685 hectares; phase 1 is expected to be completed in 2025.

In addition to receiving ships with a capacity of 100,000 tons, My Thuy port also has a wharf system to transship goods from Myanmar, Laos and Northeast Thailand through La Lay International Border Gate. Currently, Lao Bao International Border Gate's infrastructure basically meets the needs of customs clearance of goods. Quang Tri and Savannakhet provinces (Laos) are coordinating to implement the pilot project to build the Lao Bao-Densavan cross-border economic and trade zone, expected to be implemented in 2024. This project attracts many domestic and foreign enterprises to survey, research and propose investment in warehouse infrastructure in the Lao Bao International Border Gate area. In addition to the border gate and seaport, the province also attracts investment in logistics in the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone.

The Logistics Service Center Project in Hai Que Commune, Hai Lang District has an investment capital of over 2,000 billion VND, a scale of nearly 71 hectares, implemented from 2020-2025. The completed project will become a center for goods delivery and storage services, supervision of consignments, customs services, and transportation of goods from manufacturers to consumers.

In addition, the Industry and Trade sector is interested in developing export enterprises and logistics service providers in terms of quantity, quality, scale, and high competitiveness; supporting the development of logistics enterprises associated with export in a modern and professional direction.

Therefore, Quang Tri province focuses on developing logistics services into an important economic sector of the province, making Quang Tri a gateway, a transit center for goods and warehouses to meet the goals of trade and export development of the North Central region.

In short, to innovate the growth model and restructure the economy, Quang Tri province needs to proactively seize opportunities to overcome challenges; maximize all advantages and successfully take advantage of development opportunities.

Accordingly, the Quang Tri Industry and Trade sector has actively participated and taken specific actions, researched and proposed solutions to create mechanisms, policies and an open investment environment. Ready to adapt to all circumstances, actively transforming new production and business models, advantageous industries and sectors, with stable export markets to positively contribute to economic growth.

Ho Nguyen Kha