New style cooperative in Nghia Dan

(Baonghean) - Nghia Dan district currently has 11 agricultural cooperatives, of which one cooperative operates under the 2012 Law on Cooperatives, namely Phu Quy Cooperative, Nghia Hieu commune. Although newly established, Phu Quy Cooperative has proven its role as a midwife for its members. That is, sharing experiences in production, applying science and technology, and finding markets for products.

Members of the cooperative exchange experiences in production.

Nghia Dan has many advantages to develop agricultural products, from which the role of midwife, linking groups to produce and consume products and create profits for farmers becomes important. The conversion of old-style cooperatives to new-style cooperatives is a lever, an inevitable direction encouraged by Nghia Dan.

Currently, the district has transformed into a new type of cooperative, Phu Quy Cooperative, Nghia Hieu Commune. Although newly established, Phu Quy Cooperative has become an intermediary connecting farmers and businesses. Currently, the cooperative has 10 members, mainly producing and trading citrus products such as grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. When participating in the cooperative, members here have shared experiences in growing citrus trees as well as finding outlets for their products.

Mr. Nguyen Hung, a member of the cooperative in Trung Tam hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune, shared: For farmers, growing trees with increased productivity, large output, and stable product output is reassuring. Joining the cooperative, we achieved that goal, so we are very excited. In 2015, Mr. Hung's family had 1 hectare of oranges. Compared to other years, the orange acreage remained unchanged, but the way of growing, caring for, and consuming them changed. With the introduction of the cooperative, the price of oranges is higher and more stable. Mr. Nguyen Hung also added: In the cooperative, there is always sharing of experiences, not everyone doing it on their own like before, and techniques and fertilizers are also supported. Especially in the output stage, in the cooperative, we meet together to discuss finding output, not afraid of price pressure like working individually.

In addition to planting trees, Phu Quy Cooperative also nurtures and sells citrus seedlings to local people.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - Director of Phu Quy Cooperative has boldly taken the lead in finding varieties, outlets, and creating a brand for Huong Quang grapefruit trees, then expanding it to households in the Cooperative. In addition, members regularly exchange and help each other on grapefruit growing techniques and orientate to bring grapefruit products to the Cooperative's name in the long term. Up to now, Phu Quy Cooperative has had the joy of having grapefruit products available at Big C Vinh supermarket, in addition, grapefruit is also consumed in Hanoi, Da Nang, Quang Binh... The Cooperative continues to create brands and promote products.

Thanks to the mutual support in the common house, the production of the cooperative is more favorable. Currently, the income of each cooperative member is from 200 - 250 million VND/year, each year the cooperative earns over 2 billion VND. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - Director of Phu Quy Cooperative said: When established, the cooperative had many advantages such as close connection and mutual support in experience, techniques, and output. Families find product output together, the cooperative occasionally organizes meetings, and there is an agricultural department to transfer some technical technologies.

Grapefruit products of Phu Quy Cooperative have a brand.

Nghia Dan is continuing to transform Dai Dong and Dai Thang cooperatives of Nghia Hoi commune into Dong Thang Cooperative. Identifying Nghia Hoi as an agricultural production commune, especially with large crop areas, Dong Thang Cooperative focuses on trading and supplying fertilizers, seeds and pesticides to meet the needs of farmers. In addition, Dong Thang Cooperative also undertakes environmental work throughout the commune, collecting waste from all hamlets.

Mr. Nguyen Huy Anh - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture of Nghia Dan district added: Nghia Dan mainly produces agriculture, so the cooperatives mainly trade and produce agricultural products. During the conversion process, Nghia Dan encountered many difficulties, however, converting cooperatives to operate under the Law on Cooperatives 2012 is an inevitable need, beneficial to farmers. Regarding the plan to convert cooperatives, Nghia Dan previously had 11 cooperatives, including Phu Quy Cooperative which operated under the Law on Cooperatives 2012, the district is directing the conversion of Dai Dong and Dai Thang Cooperatives, on that basis, expanding cooperatives in Nghia Dan area.

Dinh Thuy