VietNamNet Bridge – Higher demand for food including pork and rice will be met with increased supply in the second half of the year, two government ministries affirmed yesterday, Aug 15.

Meeting with the government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade outlined predictions that demand for food will rise between 3 and 5 per cent to the end of 2011.

Demand for pork is forecast to reach up to 2.5 million tonnes, with imported pork making up the difference of the 2.38 million tonnes produced domestically.

The Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) supported the forecast, saying the supply of food had increased this month, easing prices.

MARD said there had been no shortage in supply over the first half of the year, and predicts the 2011 rice yield will be 41.6 million tonnes, an increase of 1.6 million tonnes on 2010 figures, which will satisfy predicted domestic demand of 27.52 million tonnes this year.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News