General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong praised a Cuba-Vietnam Rice Project on Tuesday in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio.

In a visit to the Cubanacan Base Business Unit (UEB) in Los Palacios town, the Vietnamese leader called the specialized project in rice cultivation a sign of growing bilateral cooperation.

"It is proved that there are more productive fields," Trong said.

The Los Palacios Agrobusiness Complex (CAI) has been extended to eight Cuban provinces - Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Camaguey and Granma.

"I knew about the collaboration between both countries in rice cultivation and I can now prove the mutual satisfaction of Vietnamese technicians and Cuban harvesters for the results of a project which is in its fourth stage and basically aims to raise the agrobusiness production," said the Vietnamese leader.

Trong said the cooperation between Cuba and Vietnam will be extended to aquaculture, corn and soy production.

Cuba's Agriculture Minister Gustavo Rodriguez said the joint project is designed to obtain seeds and boost specialized rice production, adding that this year the project includes 8,000 hectares, about 1,000 more compared with the previous cycle.

The project's production in Cuba was 4.7 tons per hectare for husk-moistured rice in 2011, which is higher than the national average. This year, it is estimated to increase to 5.5 tons per hectare due to training and technological innovation, said Rodriguez.

Hundreds of Cuban producers and 17 Vietnamese advisors are participating in the project, which includes 14 cooperatives as well as two state farm and rice companies.

Trong arrived here on Sunday for a five-day official visit.