Vietstock 2014 focuses on restructuring animal husbandry   Restructuring animal husbandry lies at heart of Vietstock 2014 (Photo: VNA) More than 250 booths highlighting various new products, technology, equipment and services in livestock production are on display at Vietnam’s Premier International Feed, Livestock and Meat Industry Expo (Vietstock 2014) that opened in Ho Chi Minh City on October 15. Focusing on the restructuring of the animal husbandry sector with a view to enhancing added value and promoting sustainable development, the three-day event drew the participation of many big brand names from various countries, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, the UK and the Netherlands. Opening the event, Hoang Thanh Van, Head of the Livestock Husbandry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the expo provided a good opportunity for domestic and foreign businesses to share experience and discover new technology in animal husbandry. Meanwhile, Vietstock 2014 also acts as a platform for investors to find investment opportunities in Vietnam’s breeding sector, he said. Within the framework of the event, a conference will be held to discuss major issues faced by the sector, such as quality and food safety management, as well the opportunities and challenges for Vietnam’s meat processing industry. Participants in the conference are expected to propose measures for dealing with key challenges, including animal diseases and increasing productivity. According to the department, in recent years Vietnam ’s animal husbandry sector developed rapidly with a larger production scale and better quality. Statistics from the department show that the sector’s annual average growth reached 6-7 percent in the last ten years, with 4.33 million tonnes of meat produced in 2013, more than double that of 2000 at 1.83 million tonnes.-VNA