Improving productivity increases income for corn growers

On the morning of June 21, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinated with the Hanoi People's Committee to organize a conference on corn production development associated with crop restructuring in the northern provinces. Attending the conference were representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the northern provinces, experts, scientists, and businesses operating in the field of corn production.

Delegates attending the workshop.

Discussing at the conference, delegates highly agreed with the statement: Corn is the main food crop, after rice in our country. Developing corn production, with the model of converting from rice cultivation to corn cultivation is one of the solutions of the Agriculture and Rural Development sector to implement the "Project on restructuring the agricultural sector towards increasing added value and sustainable development".

Over the past 10 years, the area and productivity of corn production in localities have increased continuously. Up to now, the whole country has about 1.2 million hectares of corn, with a yield of 44.5 quintals/hectare; each year the output increases by an average of about 170,000 tons, in which the area increases mainly in the midland and mountainous areas of the North.

However, in reality, expanding the area and increasing corn productivity to increase farmers' income in our country still faces many difficulties. Compared to some countries in the ASEAN region and Asia, our corn productivity is still quite far behind.

Mr. Dao Duy Tam, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, commented: How should we produce corn varieties that yield at least 6 tons/ha or more to ensure the price? Currently, the yield is only about 5 tons, which will not ensure farmers make a profit. In the coming time, in addition to the solutions of information and propaganda, planning and mechanization, it is necessary to increase intensive farming, apply scientific and technological advances and production processes to corn cultivation.

To develop corn production associated with crop restructuring in the Northern provinces, some opinions suggest: Reviewing and planning corn development areas must ensure advantages and efficiency over old crops, in which large-scale production areas and value chains are formed, with special emphasis on the role of enterprises in signing and consuming products for farmers.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said that every year, the livestock industry has to import a large amount of corn to make feed for livestock and poultry. In the first 5 months of this year, Vietnam imported more than 2 million tons of corn, worth 500 million USD. Therefore, corn production is an opportunity to exploit the market for animal feed ingredients for the crop industry, thereby bringing higher income to farmers.

“By taking measures, we must allow farmers to grow corn with higher income than other crops, then farmers will voluntarily participate. Vietnam must strive to increase corn productivity faster than other countries in the world, then corn will have a solid foothold. To achieve that, we need to pay special attention to areas with advantageous conditions for corn production, through technical solutions, management organization will bring opportunities for farmers to increase income”, Minister Cao Duc Phat emphasized.

According to VOV.VN