(HBO) - Although Hoa Binh province’s provincial competitiveness index (PCI) in 2021 dropped significantly in rankings and scores, many businesses and investors believed that this challenge was also an opportunity for the provincial authorities and its departments, sectors and localities to review and evaluate weaknesses and shortcomings, and carry out drastic measures to create a breakthrough in improving the investment environment and enhancing the province's competitiveness in the coming years.
Many organisations and
individuals wish that the Provincial Public Administration Service Centre will
improve its operation quality to facilitate the settlement of administrative
procedures.
According to the provincial Business Association, over the
past time, enterprises and investors in the province have appreciated efforts
of administrations at all levels and sectors, especially the drastic direction
of the provincial Party Committee and People's Committee in bettering the
business and investment environment and facilitating enterprises’ operations.
The province has also paid attention to removing difficulties and obstacles
facing businesses and investors, especially measures to support businesses
during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the 2021 PCI ranking of Hoa Binh remains
low, which was a "shock" for not only the province but also many
businesses and investors.
The fact showed a surge in the number of investors to the
province has been causing difficulties related to land. Access to land and site
clearance are always the biggest "bottleneck" which causes the most
frustration because it takes a long time, thus leading to the loss of
investment opportunities. Therefore, businesses showed their wish that the
provincial People's Committee will pay attention to and drastically direct the
ground clearance for investment projects; take measures to monitor planned
areas and those being researched, surveyed and deployed by investors so as not
to put more pressure on businesses and investors in compensation for site
clearance.
Ha Trung Nguyen, Vice Chairman of the provincial Business
Association, said that unofficial costs are also a concerning issue. The
provincial 2021 PCI analysis report showed that the percentage of enterprises
reporting that they have to pay unofficial costs for inspectors has not
improved much compared to 2020, hitting 45 percent, making Hoa Binh rank 61st
out of 63 provinces and cities.
Therefore, he proposed the provincial People's Committee
impose sanctions to strictly handle and rotate jobs for irresponsible officials
and civil servants who cause difficulties and troubles for people and
businesses.
Nguyen also suggested conducting inspection once a year, and punish
agencies and individuals that carry out inspections without reporting and
having an annual inspection plan.
According to data from the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee, the industrial production index for the first six months of 2025 is estimated to have increased by 20% compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest year-on-year growth rate for this period since 2020.
In the first six months of 2025, Hoa Binh province’s export turnover was estimated at 1.145 billion USD, marking an 18.11% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Import turnover was estimated at $ 804 million, a 17.15% increase, which helped the province maintain a positive trade balance.
The lives of the ethnic minority farmers in Tan Lac district have gradually improved thanks to the new directions in agricultural production. This is a testament to the collective strength fostered through the professional associations and groups implemented by various levels of the district’s Farmers’ Union.
With the motto the "product quality comes first,” after nearly one year of establishment and operation, Muong village’s Clean Food Agricultural and Commercial Cooperative, located in Cau Hamlet, Hung Son Commune (Kim Boi district), has launched reputable, high-quality agricultural products to the market that are well-received by consumers. The products such as Muong village’s pork sausage, salt-cured chicken, and salt-cured pork hocks have gradually carved out a place in the market and they are on the path to obtaining the OCOP certification.
In the past, the phrase "bumper harvest, rock-bottom prices" was a familiar refrain for Vietnamese farmers engaged in fragmented, small-scale agriculture. But today, a new spirit is emerging across rural areas of Hoa Binh province - one of collaboration, organisation, and collective economic models that provide a stable foundation for production.
Maintaining growing area codes and packing facility codes in accordance with regulations is a mandatory requirement for agricultural products to be eligible for export. Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoa Binh province has intensified technical supervision of designated farming areas and packing facilities to safeguard the "green passport" that enables its products to access international markets.