Jan 11, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Vietnam's agriculture and forestry sector has set a growth target of 3% and an export target of $6 billion for agro-forestry products in 2006. This was announced by the Vietnamese ministry of agriculture and rural development (MARD) in Ho Chi Minh City at a meeting to review its achievements during 2005 and discuss the agriculture and rural development plan for 2006. To achieve the targets set for 2006, the sector has decided to boost restructuring its cultivation and crop patterns, strengthen the prevention of poultry and cattle diseases, intensify forest protection, improve the quality of industrial salt produced, and focus on agro-forestry product processing and providing agricultural services. Addressing the meeting, deputy prime minister Pham Gia Khiem hailed the sector for its accomplishments last year despite difficulties and challenges faced including droughts, floods and increasing input prices. However, the sector continued to show comprehensive growth, ensuring the food security of the nation and registering a high increase in exports. Referring to the fight against bird flu as one of the major successes of the agriculture sector last year, the Deputy PM said that it was still too early to declare the country free of the dreaded disease. However, deputy prime minister Mr. Khiem said the wanton destruction of forests, underdeveloped agriculture and rural development services, and poor agro-forestry product processing were major shortcomings of the sector. According to statistics released at the meeting, the sector earned $5.8 billion from agro-forestry product exports in 2005, representing an increase of 29% from the previous year. This included $1.7 billion from the export of forestry products, $1.4 billion from rice exports, $772 million from rubber, $718 million from coffee, and $481 million from cashew nuts. Regarding the agriculture and rural development plan for 2006, the minister of agriculture and rural development Cao Duc Phat said though the country had become highly competitive in various agricultural produce and cash crops, including rice, coffee, rubber, and cashew nut, it lagged behind in sugarcane, vegetable production, and animal husbandry. The agriculture and rural development industry must make a concerted effort to find solutions and increase the competitive edge of its low competitive products in view of the country's upcoming entry into the World Trade Organisation.