Con Cuong: Towards sustainable commodity agriculture

(Baonghean) - In the 2010 - 2015 term, in the agricultural sector, Con Cuong determined: "Continue to convert the crop structure reasonably on a unit area, develop crops with high economic value, the district's strengths".

Thanks to this specific orientation, the district has determined to develop a number of large-scale concentrated crops, affirming the high economic value of the goods. First of all, it is the orange tree, one of the specialty trees that was once famous for its delicious taste, bearing the Con Cuong orange brand. To restore the brand of this specialty tree, the district has soon built and implemented the Project "Restoring orange trees in the period of 2004 - 2015", accordingly, the current orange area in the district is 145 hectares, of which 41 hectares are for business, with an output of 618 tons. With just that output, the Con Cuong orange tree after being restored according to the project has really spread because of the typical product quality and also because of the very high value obtained from growing oranges (each hectare of oranges in the business phase brings in revenue from 500 - 800 million VND), so the Con Cuong orange tree has also created an attraction for people in the project planning area.

Following the gentle slopes into Huoi Noi stream, Pha village, Yen Khe commune, the barren lands of a few years ago have now been basically replaced by newly planted orange plots that are carefully cared for and protected. Visiting Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cung's orange garden on days of severe drought, the 2 hectares of oranges are still green, with roots turned, creating a beautiful canopy. From a barren, deserted land, Mr. Cung has joined forces with Mr. Thai Ba Trung, renting land for 15 years from Mr. Luong Van Sang's family to grow Xa Doai oranges. Some contributed labor, some contributed money, in just a short time 650 orange trees of the first crop have borne fruit, 150 trees 1 year old have grown green, the total amount of money the two men invested together is over 400 million VND. Looking at the green, promising orange garden, Mr. Cung said: This is a land very suitable for orange trees, so we contributed capital to grow it together. Thanks to strict adherence to the planting and care process according to technical regulations, most orange trees develop as required.

Model of growing hot chili for export in Luc Da commune (Con Cuong).

The story of orange trees with high economic efficiency on the difficult land of Truong Cong area right from the first fruit harvest has made the Party Secretary of Pha village, Mr. Tang Ngoc Son, forever fascinated. On an area of ​​1.4 hectares, Mr. Son planted 1 hectare (500 Van Du orange trees), the remaining area planted V2 oranges, thanks to the correct technical process, the orange garden developed well, the first fruit harvest from Van Du oranges brought in a revenue of 330 million VND. Mr. Son affirmed: On this land, orange trees have proven their effectiveness, so we are very confident when investing. The Party cell also mobilized people to apply the method of association or independent planting depending on specific conditions. Thanks to the mobilization of the Party cell, Pha village currently has 22 households participating in orange planting on an area of ​​50 hectares (of which 20 hectares follow the association model). The wish of orange growers here is for the State to invest in an electricity system to ensure irrigation pumping and safe pesticide services for the orange growing area.

Flexibility in implementing effective business methods on the basis of local conditions with advantageous conditions is not only effective with the orange growing linkage model, but also the pig raising support model like in Thach Ngan commune. A group of young farm owners in Tong Xan village, Thach Ngan commune, including Nguyen Dinh Hai, Lo Van Son... have linked together on the basis of supporting each other in terms of breeding experience, raising methods, finding food sources at the source and recommending the local government to establish a cooperative for raising super lean pigs to ensure sustainable development. Nguyen Dinh Hai's farm raises 17 breeding pigs, all breeding pigs are converted to raising pigs for meat, each year selling more than 20 tons of pork, earning a profit of over 150 million VND.

Mr. Lo Van Son's lean pig farm is smaller, with only 40 pigs, but the advantage of a spacious area has given him the idea of ​​expanding the farm and increasing its scale. Mr. Lo Van Son said: "Thanks to the help of the members of the group, I am confident in investing and building the farm. Those practical experiences have helped me succeed with more than 10 safe and highly effective batches. I plan to level the hills early next year to expand the farm scale." Currently, Thach Ngan has 20 households implementing linkages in livestock farming. The commune is oriented to establish farm groups and clubs on the basis of ensuring requirements in livestock farming such as: veterinary work, ensuring food supply, consuming breeding animals and consuming commercial pigs.

In addition to implementing the method of supporting each other in livestock farming by establishing livestock groups and livestock associations, in Thach Ngan, there have also appeared a number of integrated livestock farming models combined with forest planting that have proven effective and are being replicated. The head of Ke Gia village, Mr. Vi Van Hai, has opened a nearly 2 km road deep into his farm land with an area of ​​over 10 hectares, invested in raising 5 buffaloes, cows, 80 pigs, 30 goats, more than 500 poultry, dug a pond to raise fish with an area of ​​over 2,000 m2 and covered the planned livestock area with a lush green acacia hybrid forest. In 2014, Mr. Hai's farm was granted a farm certificate. Mr. Vi Van Hai confided: The purpose of opening land for my farm economy is to try to model the level of economic efficiency, from which there will be a model for people in the village to learn and follow. From this initial result, it has been confirmed that whenever there is land, if we apply the right method and have determination, we will get rich in our homeland.

In the 2015 - 2020 term, Thach Ngan commune, one of the most disadvantaged communes in Con Cuong district, has continued to clearly identify the "3 spearheads" to maximize the exploitation of natural conditions and advantages for development: developing raw material areas for industrial crops such as sugarcane and tea; promoting the development of comprehensive farm economy and developing forest economy. From this very clear orientation, not only has there been linkage in pig farming, but many models and good, creative and bold ways have emerged to rise up and get rich from this land.

To promote advantages, improve efficiency in agricultural production, accelerate poverty reduction, in addition to the most general orientations, Con Cuong district has directly directed relevant departments to increase the ability to support farmers in developing production development models: The district Agricultural Extension Station builds models suitable to the actual conditions of each commune and each region; the Mountainous Rural Development Board, with resources from Program 135/CP, advises on training, supports varieties of plants and animals that have been proven effective and production tools suitable to actual conditions; or the Social Policy Bank intervenes in lending to orange growing areas and coordinates and integrates projects to arrange reasonable capital sources...

Comrade Ho Dang Tai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district said: Based on specific planning for each type of tree, in the coming time, the district will continue to focus on shifting the structure of crops and livestock associated with the application of scientific and technological advances, bringing new, high-quality varieties into production; expanding the area of ​​rice, corn, raw material crops, fruit trees and food. Promote the development of livestock farms in the direction of commodity production, applying science and technology to increase product quality, focusing on improving the quality of key animals such as buffalo, cows, pigs; raising specialty animals with high economic value suitable to local conditions. From there, move towards a sustainable agriculture, improve economic efficiency, and reduce poverty in the area.

Hung Chau