Multiplying advanced models of the collective economic sector

(Baonghean) - In the period of 2010 - 2014, the patriotic emulation movement of Nghe An Cooperative Union was constantly promoted and developed in both depth and breadth, creating a vibrant competitive atmosphere among cadres, members and workers in cooperative economic establishments and cooperatives throughout the province.

Innovation, development and improvement of the operational efficiency of cooperatives, cooperative unions, enterprises and craft villages are some of the major emulation movements that have been well implemented in the collective economic sector. By the end of 2014, the whole province had 2,884 cooperatives, an increase of 234 cooperatives compared to 2010, creating regular jobs for over 30,000 workers. The organizational forms and operational scales of cooperatives are diverse: small-scale industry, trade and services, agricultural services, fishing and aquatic products services; focusing on industries such as cooperation in land preparation, processing and consumption of agricultural products, supplying fishing materials, cooperatives in catching aquatic products, production of bamboo and rattan weaving, brocade weaving, etc.

Weaving brocade at Hai Van Cooperative (Con Cuong).

By the end of 2014, the province had 583 cooperatives, cooperative unions, 400 craft villages, 133 craft villages, creating regular jobs for hundreds of thousands of workers. In all industries and fields, the number of newly established cooperatives increased rapidly. From 2010 to now, on average, 18-20 new cooperatives were established each year. In addition to traditional industries and fields, many new cooperative models have been established and operated effectively, meeting the diverse needs of production and life of members such as: environmental sanitation cooperatives, craft village cooperatives, market cooperatives, vocational training cooperatives, People's Credit Funds, etc.

Nghi Lam Agricultural Service Cooperative is one of the few agricultural cooperatives that still maintain good development in the current market mechanism. The cooperative's management board focuses on finding solutions to ensure jobs and livelihoods for workers. Gradually organize and operate well production services such as providing plant varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, rat extermination and pest control for farmers; irrigation services for internal irrigation. To increase income for members, the cooperative has received the production of 120 hectares of original rice seeds for Thai Binh Seed Company and Central Seed Company, the amount of rice seeds purchased for members annually reaches 300 - 400 tons. In 2014, the cooperative opened an internal credit service, although newly implemented, it has initially brought about efficiency, with 560 members participating in shares and has mobilized savings deposits of more than 1 billion VND, creating a source of capital for members to borrow to serve production.

Trung Kien Shipbuilding Cooperative creates jobs for hundreds of workers. In particular, since Decree 67 was issued, encouraging fishermen to build iron-hulled ships, it has affected the wooden shipbuilding profession of Trung Kien village. The Cooperative's Board of Directors is flexible in the market mechanism, traveling to all provinces from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang to find customers and bring back new building contracts for workers in the craft village. Along with shipbuilding, the Cooperative also produces construction and civil carpentry to ensure jobs and increase income for workers. Currently, the wharf is building 13 ships, repairing 6 ships, and this April, the Cooperative has just signed a contract to build 7 wooden ships for offshore fishing. The talented workers continue to maintain a traditional profession that has been sustainable for more than 700 years, with revenue each year always higher than the previous year, building over 80 large and small wooden ships each year. In 2014 alone, total revenue reached 80 billion VND.

Song Lam Production and Service Cooperative - a Labor Hero unit with 5 affiliated units, is a dynamic and creative unit in transforming its operations and production and service business sectors; in 2014, revenue reached 34.5 billion VND, budget contribution was 900 million VND, regular workforce of 148 people, average income of 3.8 million VND/month; from 2010 to present, it has been continuously awarded by the Party and State with noble prizes, Labor Medals, Emulation Flags, many certificates of merit from the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, and the Provincial People's Committee.

Quyet Thanh Joint Stock Cooperative (Vinh City), from a transport business unit, through many times of consolidation and transformation, has now developed and achieved a fairly large scale of production and business in the fields of production, trading of construction materials, hotel and restaurant business... in 2014, total revenue was 33.5 billion VND, creating regular jobs for 110 workers, with an average income of 3.5 million VND/person/month. From 2010 to now, the Cooperative has been continuously awarded by the Party and the State with noble prizes, Labor Medals, Emulation Flags, and many certificates of merit from the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Provincial People's Committee.

Nghi Lam Agricultural Cooperative provides fertilizers to people.

Collective economy in general, and cooperatives in particular, have made important contributions to the proportion and overall economic structure of Nghe An province. In 2010, the economic value of this sector accounted for 27%, and by 2014 it had increased by 30% compared to 2010. Statistics of cooperatives and craft villages alone showed that in 2010 it reached approximately 3,000 billion VND and now it has reached nearly 3,500 billion VND, a growth rate of 15 - 16%. The collective economic sector, non-state industry and trade, annually contributes approximately 450 billion VND to the budget, accounting for about 35% of domestic income. Nghe An's collective economic sector has regularly attracted 115,000 - 120,000 workers to work in cooperatives and craft villages. Cooperatives and craft villages in the province always pay attention to vocational training for members and workers. From 2010 to 2014, each year they trained 1,800 - 2,000 workers... At the same time, the collective economy is also an important factor in promoting the construction of the grassroots political system, contributing to political and social stability in rural and mountainous areas.

Along with thoroughly grasping Resolution 5 of the Central Committee, Directive 20, implementing the Law on Cooperatives 2012 and Decree 193/ND-CP, it is an opportunity to affirm the great role of cooperatives in serving best and bringing the highest benefits to their members; Cooperatives undertake tasks that household economies cannot do or that each household does but is not effective; many agricultural cooperatives have undertaken land preparation, irrigation, seed supply, fertilizer supply services, and applied technical advances to agricultural production. Many cooperatives have invested in building agricultural technical infrastructure such as: Pumping stations, concrete canals, concrete roads, intra-field irrigation... contributing significantly to hunger eradication, poverty reduction and new rural construction in localities, typically: Lam Cau Quynh Thach Cooperative, Nghi Lam Cooperative, Thinh Son Agricultural Cooperative, Tho Thanh Handicraft Cooperative, Phu Hau Agricultural Cooperative, Hung Tien Agricultural Cooperative, Kim Lien Dien Kim Cooperative, Hoa Tien Brocade Weaving Village Cooperative...

The emulation movement of cooperatives taking the lead in hunger eradication and poverty reduction also has a positive impact on the economic restructuring within the agricultural sector and the division of labor in rural areas. Through the supply of plant varieties; application of scientific and technical advances, intensive farming instructions... of agricultural production cooperatives, it helps agricultural production grow economically and increase household income. Specifically, many places have 3-4 agricultural crops, winter crop production has become the main crop, many agricultural models have achieved from 50 to over 100 million VND/ha.

From 2010 to 2015, 11 collectives and individuals were awarded Labor Medals of various ranks; 2 collectives were awarded the Government's Emulation Flag; 15 collectives and individuals were awarded Certificates of Merit by the Government; 8 collectives were awarded the Provincial People's Committee's Emulation Flag; 5 collectives were awarded the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance's Emulation Flag and many other forms...

However, in addition to low economic value, cooperative types develop slowly in both quantity and quality. The number of cooperatives with annual profit growth is small, and there are still cooperatives that operate inefficiently or operate in a formal manner. In general, the cooperative sector still faces many difficulties and has not escaped the weaknesses as determined in Resolution 5 of the 9th Central Committee. Although the internal capacity of cooperatives has been strengthened in recent times, the professional management level of cooperative staff is still inadequate, there are still many cooperative management staff over 50 years old, and the attraction of young staff with university and college degrees to work in cooperatives has not been strengthened. Every year, the number of cooperative staff trained is low in both quantity and quality, so it cannot meet current needs; many localities are still confused in converting cooperatives to operate under the 2012 Cooperative Law. The implementation of the Project on innovation and development of cooperatives in districts, cities and towns is slow and the efficiency is still low.

To promote the performance of economic types of cooperatives, enterprises and craft villages in the following years, Mr. Tran Van Chuong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Cooperative Union, said: It is necessary to strengthen the training and fostering of management and professional staff in cooperatives, enterprises and craft villages to improve the qualifications and capacity to implement the requirements of cooperation, association and integration. Produce many quality products that compete well in the market. Promote emulation and reward work in cooperatives, enterprises, craft villages and the system of member units of the Provincial Cooperative Union to promote the role and motivation for the development of cooperative economy and cooperatives in the task of emulation and reward. Ensure that all emulation movements must be regular, improve quality and have an impact on encouraging the replication of advanced models.

Quynh Lan