Focus on building large fields

(Baonghean) - Faced with the reality that household farming production has revealed many limitations, many localities in the province have advocated building large-scale fields (CĐML) to shift agricultural production towards creating concentrated commodity products. However, after 3 years of implementation, in addition to encouraging results, CĐML has not yet met the actual requirements of agricultural production. Accordingly, the direction of building large-scale fields (CĐL) is considered a solution for the coming time.

Since 2013, Nam Cuong commune (Nam Dan) has started to build a model of CĐML with 30 hectares of peanut cultivation. Thanks to the synchronous application of scientific and technological measures, the average peanut yield has reached 2.2 quintals/sao, an increase of 10 quintals/ha compared to mass production. Mr. Thai Hong Son, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: The whole commune has 260 hectares of alluvial land which is very suitable for peanuts, at the same time, in the area and some neighboring communes of Hung Nguyen district, there is a system of collecting and processing peanut products, so in addition to linking with businesses, this is also an important "channel" to create favorable conditions for peanut consumption. In the coming time, especially when there is a policy to build CĐL, Nam Cuong will continue to implement necessary measures to expand the area of ​​intensive peanut production.

The construction of CĐMLs has been deployed simultaneously in the whole province since the spring crop of 2013 with 15 models, including 10 rice production models, 3 corn production models, and 2 peanut production models. Through the years 2014 and spring crop of 2015, 13 new models were deployed. According to the general assessment, CĐML models have increased productivity and output by 10-15% compared to mass production, with an average income value of over 100 million VND/ha/year. The main products are high-quality rice such as AC5, NA2 Materials... easy to consume, high value and mainly purchased by enterprises with prices at least 10% higher than normal rice.

In particular, through the implementation of the model, production practices with proper and sufficient investment according to advanced technical processes have been formed, especially for people in mountainous and border areas. Typically, the construction of rice production cooperatives in Mon Son commune (Con Cuong), Tam Thai (Tuong Duong), Que Phong, Quy Chau... has achieved good results, thereby gradually creating advanced production practices for people. At the same time, a sustainable link has been created between the State, farmers, businesses and scientists, affirming the sustainability and effectiveness in implementing the "4-house" linkage.

However, the implementation of the construction of the CĐML still reveals some shortcomings, the sustainability of some models is not high, the replication of models, especially in some mountainous districts is still limited; the linkage of production and product consumption in some models is not tight, especially the organization of purchasing and consuming products for farmers is not guaranteed, mainly focusing on input factors of production such as seed supply, fertilizer loans... but has not effectively solved the problem of product output.

The model construction has many households participating, while the investment capacity, level, and production practices of households are not uniform, affecting the quality of the model. In the province, there are not many strong enterprises participating, especially in the field of preservation, post-harvest processing, and agricultural product export, so the consumption of products is still inadequate. Meanwhile, farmers' compliance with technical processes to ensure the quality and uniformity of products is still limited, affecting the effectiveness of building CĐML.

Checking a large sample field in Phuc Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Photo: Phu Huong

Building large-scale fields (CLs) is considered a step to continue and promote the achievements gained over the past 3 years of building CLs in the province. This is an urgent issue, aiming to create a breakthrough to quickly transform agriculture towards high-tech application and commodity production. Head of the Department of Agriculture of Yen Thanh district - Mr. Nguyen Van Duong shared: "As one of the localities chosen to build CLs on rice, in recent years, the district has focused on implementation and achieved encouraging results.

In the CĐML models, mainly pure rice varieties with high yield and quality such as Vat Tu NA2, AC5, Thien Nguyen Uu 9, BTE1... are used for an average yield of 70 - 75 quintals/ha in the spring crop and nearly 65 quintals/ha in the summer-autumn crop, in general, people have a higher income than mass production by 10 - 15%. Before the policy of building CĐL, Yen Thanh will carry out planning, determine areas that are eligible to build CĐL within a minimum period of 5 years, call on businesses to invest, cooperate with farmers as well as find solutions to improve the capacity and efficiency of organizations representing farmers such as cooperatives and cooperative groups.

In addition to the purpose of quickly shifting agriculture to concentrated, large-scale, highly efficient commodity production, building a CĐL also helps form a group of production households that synchronously apply technical advances from seeds, cultivation, mechanization, field management, crops and diseases to create a reasonable production chain, save costs, protect the environment, create safe products with high value, and are the premise for a modern, sustainably developed agriculture.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lap, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: The cooperatives will help reduce production costs and increase income by 7-10% compared to the old production method. To achieve that goal, the construction of cooperatives must ensure the synchronous application of the production process agreed upon by the participating parties and ensure sustainable development. In particular, there must be a form of production and consumption linkage between enterprises and farmers through contracts. According to the plan, from 2015 to 2020, the whole province will have 7,789 hectares of rice produced by the cooperative method in 14 districts and towns. In addition, there will be 2,188 hectares of corn in 11 districts and towns; 432 hectares of peanuts in 6 districts and towns; over 477 hectares of vegetables, 450 hectares of tea, 1,360 hectares of sugarcane and 230 hectares of oranges.

To implement the policy of building cooperatives, it is necessary to promote the leadership and direction of localities in propaganda and implementation; have appropriate solutions to mobilize businesses to join in building cooperatives, both supporting farmers and ensuring the harmony of interests of all parties. At the same time, depending on the characteristics of each region, arrange appropriate applications of science and technology to ensure low costs, high income, and quality to ensure food safety and hygiene. Along with that, promote the application of processing and preservation technology, reduce post-harvest losses to meet the consumption needs of agricultural products and increase production value for farmers.

Promote the application of mechanization from land preparation, care, and harvesting; at the same time, call for investment in building modern processing and primary processing factories to reduce post-harvest losses. Prioritize calling for and selecting enterprises to invest and use good harvesting, processing, and preservation technology in participating in the implementation of the collective farming system. In particular, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Lap, it is necessary to have appropriate measures to form new cooperatives and cooperative groups suitable for the implementation of collective farming systems to link with enterprises on a voluntary basis, in accordance with the cooperative law, and ensure effective implementation in signing contracts with enterprises, creating favorable conditions for farmers to produce and consume products to ensure high efficiency.

Phu Huong