Farmers nationwide have been encouraged to grow "safe" vegetables within the national programme on food security and anti-malnutrition.

In this line, the Plant Protection Department in combination with localities has been applying methods in growing "safe" vegetables by guiding farmers to use high-qualify seeds and right biological insecticides and organic fertilisers. Pesticide residue in vegetables will be controlled.

The programme has run smoothly for nearly a year in Ho Chi Minh City, especially in two districts of Binh Chanh and Cu Chi where "safe" vegetable acreage covers 150 ha, producing 7,000 tonnes a year. The programme attracted the participation of 150 farmer households in Tan Quy Tay commune of Binh Chanh district, said a local official, adding that they were lured by a 5-7 times higher annual income than from rice growing.

The programme has helped double the city's acreage of "safe" vegetables as compared with the 2001's figure with a total output of 12,000 tonnes.

The city has cooperated with the Mekong delta province of An Giang, one of the country's largest rice producers, over the past two years to develop a "safe" vegetable growing and selling model.

Ha Noi now boasts three centres growing such vegetables in its suburban districts of Dong Anh, Gia Lam and Thanh Tri. The capital plans to expand the Linh Nam center in Thanh Tri district by 50 ha and ensure the supply of "safe" vegetables for Hanoians by 2005. The two northern provinces of Vinh Phuc and Bac Ninh plan to develop their "safe" vegetable programmes in the near future.