Focus on building a linkage chain in agriculture in Nghia Dan

SUCCESSFUL MODELS

With the support of the Farmers’ Association, the cooperative group growing custard apples on an area of ​​8 hectares in Son Mong hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune (Nghia Dan) was equipped with knowledge and improved capacity in production and business planning. During that process, skills in market understanding, product promotion activities, cooperative development, increasing product consumption in and outside the province, etc. were provided to the cooperative members.

Up to now, the custard apple growing cooperative in Nghia Hieu commune has developed and operated stably. The members of the cooperative are attached to the cooperative and share experiences in growing and caring for custard apple trees according to VietGAP standards. All products produced by the members of the cooperative are signed with stores selling safe agricultural products according to the "value chain".

Growing VietGAP in Nghia Hieu commune (Nghia Dan). Photo: Minh Thai

Mr. Ho Minh Chinh - Head of the custard apple growing cooperative in Son Mong hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune said: “Up to now, many members have had high incomes from custard apple trees. Since the cooperative was established, through regular meetings and daily exchanges, members have shared experiences, techniques for planting and caring for trees with high efficiency. In particular, when a household's garden has pests or diseases, the members of the group will immediately go there to check, find out the cause of the disease, and coordinate to prevent and treat the disease promptly."

Due to suitable soil and climate, pear guava trees grown in Nghia Son and Nghia Lam communes grow and develop well. Guava trees have helped people here escape poverty and become rich. For guava trees to develop sustainably, the 19/5 Agricultural Production and Service Cooperative was established, with 35 members who are households participating in growing pear guava according to VietGAP standards.

Agricultural Service Cooperative 19/5 (Nghia Dan) discussed with producers about guava quality. Photo: Minh Thai

To ensure product safety as committed, the cooperative strictly controls quality, takes random samples of shipments. Mr. Le Sy Dinh - Director of the 19/5 Agricultural Service Cooperative said: "Although it was established not long ago, with the close guidance of Nghia Dan district, Nghia Son and Nghia Lam communes, the cooperative has promoted trade promotion, advertising, introducing products, building and developing official and reputable distribution channels, forming a number of safe agricultural product stores... Pear guava products on Nghia Dan land have long been favored by consumers, when guava has a stamp, label with clear origin, consumers can be completely assured".

Guava at the 19/5 Agricultural Service Cooperative has a stamp and clear origin. Photo: Minh Thai

Nghia Thinh Commune is considered one of the localities with the best winter-spring crop in Nghia Dan District. In 2021, Nghia Thinh planted over 70 hectares of corn, mainly the HN88 hybrid corn variety. To consume the products, the Nghia Thinh Commune government also signed a contract to sell raw corn to TH Milk Joint Stock Company, with this year's purchase price at VND890,000/ton. In a year, it is possible to grow 2-3 crops of biomass corn, each hectare bringing in hundreds of millions of dong in revenue.

This winter-spring corn crop, 100% of corn-growing households in Nghia Thinh have signed a commitment to sell corn biomass to TH Milk Joint Stock Company. Mr. Nguyen Danh Trung - Vice Chairman of Nghia Thinh Commune People's Committee said: "This year, the weather is stable, corn plants grow and develop well, the yield reaches 38 - 40 tons/ha, the product purchase price is signed annually with the company, so the output is very stable. After the harvest, people will prepare the land to plant another crop immediately."

Harvesting biomass corn in Nghia Dan. Photo: Minh Thai

MORE COOPERATION FROM BUSINESSES IS NEEDED

“In the process of farmers participating in the association in production and consumption of agricultural products, all levels and sectors of Nghia Dan district support technical training and create conditions for access to preferential loans. Up to now, Nghia Dan Farmers' Association has 23 cooperative groups for cultivation and animal husbandry and 2 cooperative groups for construction and civil carpentry operating effectively, in accordance with the requirements of developing diverse occupations in agriculture and rural areas.

The formation of Cooperative Group models in Nghia Dan district has brought many benefits and experiences to farmers, overcoming the situation of spontaneous production, unstable output, and reducing the situation of "good harvest, low price". Mr. Phan The Phuong, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Dan district shared.

However, production linkage in the district still has certain limitations. Agricultural production is currently mainly dispersed, in some areas, production households have not paid attention to group linkage but still produce spontaneously, so there have not been many concentrated production areas with large and stable enough product quantity.

On the other hand, the characteristics of agricultural products are seasonal and not very uniform; the consumption of agricultural products through many intermediaries makes it difficult to identify products participating in the chain and the actual selling price is much higher than the production cost. At the same time, the enterprises supplying and distributing agricultural products are not widely available.

Safe products with clear origin are still subject to unfair price competition with products that do not guarantee quality and have unknown origins. Therefore, consumption output is still low, not strongly influencing producers to expand and replicate chain linkage models. Some agricultural products have geographical indications, brands and trademarks on the market but are only at the preliminary processing and consumption stage, without deep processing or diversification of commercial products.

To increase the value of agricultural production in Nghia Dan, more cooperation from many businesses is needed. Photo: Archive

With the advantages of red basalt soil and favorable climate for agricultural development, Nghia Dan district continues to direct the development of commodity agriculture according to chain linkage. At the same time, focusing on clean production, supporting consulting, training, coaching, technical guidance; supporting seeds and materials; transferring new scientific and technological applications according to high-tech application models.

At the same time, increase the ability to preserve, process, enhance competitiveness with high-quality products, promote the development of agricultural production in the direction of concentrated specialized goods. Of course, that process, in addition to the participation of Party committees, authorities and people, requires the joint implementation of the system of enterprises in building chains linking production, preservation, processing, and consumption of agricultural products...