Ca Mau seeking investments in industrial zones

A row of fishing net on Nam Can River in ca Mau Province. The province is calling investment for its IZs and to develop the local eco-tourism.— Photo camau.gov.vn

The IZs, with a total area of 150ha, are the Khanh An IZ in U Minh District, the Song Doc IZ in Tran Van Thoi District, the Hoa Trung IZ in Cai Nuoc District and the Nam Can IZ in Nam Can District.

Ca Mau, the southernmost province of Viet Nam, is one of the largest exporters of shrimp and prawns in the country. The export turnover of the fisheries sector reached $1.314 billion in 2014.

The Khanh An IZ, located next to the Ca Mau Gas-Power-Fertiliser Complex, is 14km from the centre of Ca Mau City, while the Hoa Trung IZ, just 5km from the city centre, is the fisheries processing hub of the province. The areas where the Nam Cam and Song Doc IZs are located are expected to develop as large urban centres. However, Mai Huu Chinh, Director of the department, said that despite their potential, the four IZs had not attracted any significant levels of investment.

The department is trying to woo investors by highlighting the advantages the province offers in the fisheries, forestry products, real estate and transportation sectors, besides its clean resources and ecotourism opportunities.

The department said it would simplify procedures and draw up policies on tax incentives to attract investors. It will also strive to clear land and develop good transportation facilities to connect central Ca Mau to the IZs, it said.

Chinh said the province had attracted more investments in 2014. It has approved 173 investment projects worth VND1 trillion (US$45.7 million) so far.

Currently, the State is spending VND14 trillion ($641 million) on the construction of Block B of the O Mon pipeline, a power plant worth VND 13 trillion ($595.3 million), and a gas treatment plant worth VND4.7 trillion ($215.2 million). There are also five foreign direct investment projects worth $11 million underway.

According to provincial officials, the province's location is important with regard to the economic and social development of the whole country. It also lies in the southern development corridor, which includes Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Ha Tien.