Signing of a cooperation program between the Nghe An Provincial Farmers' Association and Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company.

Attending the program were: Ms. Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hung - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee. Also present were members of the Provincial Party Committee: Mr. Thai Van Thanh - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom - Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department; Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association. Representatives from provincial departments and agencies were also in attendance.

Representing Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company was Mr. Dinh Cao Khue - Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Company.

At the conference, the parties agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to: Establish a cooperation framework for developing agricultural raw material areas in Nghe An province; and promote the Association's role as a bridge in connecting the Company with cooperatives, cooperative groups, and individual farmers.

The plan is to gradually establish concentrated raw material areas, including: approximately 10,000 hectares of pineapple; of which: 80% are Queen pineapples, 20% are Cayenne and MD2 pineapples; an estimated production of approximately 10,000 tons of sweet corn; and an estimated production of approximately 10,000 tons of soybeans and vegetables.

Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company is committed to signing direct production-consumption linkage contracts with cooperatives in accordance with the law.

The Farmers' Association acts as the central coordinating organization, supporting implementation and collaboration with the Company in surveying and selecting suitable growing areas for each crop; and developing a plan for growing areas in the province. It also supports participating households in accessing fertilizer loans through existing programs of the Farmers' Association.

Both sides agreed to continue close cooperation, technical support, and product procurement to improve the quality and quantity of pineapples to meet market demands.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Thai Van Thanh, emphasized: Developing agriculture towards a sustainable, commodity-oriented approach, linked with processing and product consumption, is a major policy of Nghe An province. In particular, the formation and development of large-scale, concentrated raw material areas, ensuring quality, is a key factor in increasing the added value and competitiveness of agricultural products.

Nghe An province possesses significant potential and advantages in terms of land, climate, and abundant agricultural labor. However, production organization remains fragmented, and the linkages between production, processing, and consumption are not yet strong. Therefore, strengthening cooperation between farmers' associations and businesses is the right direction, contributing to overcoming the limitations in current agricultural development.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the proactive approach of the Nghe An Provincial Farmers' Association in connecting and coordinating with Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company, a reputable and experienced enterprise in the field of processing and exporting agricultural products, to build and develop a stable and sustainable raw material area.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee affirmed that the signing ceremony is of great significance, not only opening up opportunities for long-term cooperation between the two sides, but also contributing to concretizing the policy of developing agricultural economy along the value chain; increasing income and improving the lives of members and farmers; and promoting the socio-economic development of the province.

To ensure the effective implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Thai Van Thanh suggested that the Provincial Farmers' Association continue to play a core role in disseminating information and mobilizing members and farmers to participate in building raw material areas; and guiding production according to the processes and standards of enterprises and the market.

For Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company, fulfilling commitments, providing technical support, seeds, and product purchasing guarantees; and accompanying farmers throughout the production process are key priorities.

Relevant government agencies and departments should provide support in terms of mechanisms, policies, and infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for the effective implementation of the cooperation program. In particular, farmers need to change their production mindset, boldly cooperate, adhere to technical procedures, and ensure product quality.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Thai Van Thanh expressed his confidence that, with the determination of all parties, the support of all levels and sectors, and the positive response of farmers, the cooperation program will be successful, contributing to the sustainable development of Nghe An's agriculture.