VietGAP certified products: Still facing difficulties in finding markets.

(Baonghean) - A series of reports about products not meeting food safety and hygiene standards has caused consumers to worry and seek out clean products. However, the paradox in the market is that VietGAP products (produced according to good agricultural practices) have low production volume, high demand, but are difficult to sell...

In recent years, Nghe An province has implemented clean agricultural production according to VietGAP standards, applied to vegetable crops and livestock farming. Specifically, Vinh City has established a safe vegetable production area following VietGAP guidelines in four communes: Nghi An, Nghi Lien, Nghi Kim, and Hung Dong. The Nghe An Sub-Department of Agricultural, Forestry, and Fisheries Product Quality Management has also supported the implementation of production models for vegetables in Hamlet 10, Dien Thanh commune (Dien Chau district), mushrooms in Nam Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), and dairy cattle in Quynh Thang commune (Quynh Luu district). In addition, the Livestock Sector Competitiveness and Food Safety Project (LIFSAP project) has supported 10 communes in four districts (Dien Chau, Nam Dan, Do Luong, and Nghi Loc) with 30 pig and chicken farming groups involving 599 households.

Caring for vegetables in Dien Thanh commune (Dien Chau district).

Difficulties stem from production.until consumption…

Vegetable production is a traditional occupation and a strength of Nghi Lien commune (Vinh City). From practical experience in the fields, farmers have accumulated a wealth of knowledge in crop rotation and intercropping, thereby increasing land utilization to 4-5 crops per year. Planning for safe vegetable production areas according to VietGAP standards is a sustainable development direction for the commune's agriculture. Currently, the total area of ​​land planted with vegetables in the commune is 50 hectares, with an average yield of 1,500-1,700 tons of vegetables per year; specifically, the area for safe vegetable production is 25 hectares, concentrated in hamlets 2, 3, 4, and 5; of which 19 households have invested in building 7,042 square meters of greenhouses. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Can from Hamlet 3: “Growing green vegetables is more laborious than other crops, but because the life cycle of vegetables is short, it is possible to rotate crops many times. Therefore, in terms of profit, growing vegetables is quite economically efficient. Recently, thanks to the government's policies supporting electricity, water tanks, and drilled wells, vegetable production has become much more convenient. We grow vegetables with strict technical procedures because we are not allowed to use fertilizers or growth stimulants indiscriminately, but our products are being sold in the market like traditionally grown vegetables, which is very unreasonable…”

After implementing the model in Nghi Lien commune, Vinh City provided several outlets for vegetable growers to access, such as supermarkets, kindergartens, and collective kitchens. However, at kindergartens, the contracts with the commune only lasted about six months. The reason was that the schools required the supply of root vegetables and fruits such as carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, while Nghi Lien mainly produces leafy vegetables. Similarly, when introducing vegetables to Metro supermarket, with all the necessary certifications, both sides agreed that Nghi Lien would supply the supermarket with 300 kg of vegetables daily. This was a very small amount compared to the daily harvest, but everyone was happy because they had a stable market for their goods. However, after only a few months, the contract had to be canceled.

The reason is that Nghi Lien's main vegetable crop is typically only available from November to April of the following year, while supermarkets require a stable supply year-round. Discussing this, Mr. Tran Duc Oanh, an agricultural officer in Nghi Lien commune, said: “Nghi Lien commune has a tradition of growing vegetables, but for a long time, farmers have been growing them spontaneously, based on habit rather than market demand. Therefore, during the main season, they overplant vegetables like cabbage, kohlrabi, and kale, leading to surpluses, while other high-quality vegetables requiring better seeds are unavailable. Furthermore, the main reason is poor product distribution. When the project was launched, the city was responsible for purchasing the produce, but currently, there are no places in the city selling safe vegetables. Even packaging to prove they are “clean vegetables” hasn't been considered. Therefore, it's understandable that safe vegetables are indistinguishable from other types of vegetables.”

The "VietGAP Vegetable Quality Control Model" implemented in 2012 in Dien Thanh commune (Dien Chau district), covering 9.57 hectares in Hamlet 10 with 70 participating households, and supported by the Nghe An Provincial Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Quality Management, not only opened up hope for innovative production thinking among farmers but also contributed to building a high-quality green vegetable "belt" supplying Vinh City. However, even after receiving VietGAP certification from the Certification Center for kohlrabi, cabbage, cauliflower, and sweet cabbage, the products still face difficulties in finding markets...

Not only vegetables, but livestock products are also facing similar difficulties. In 2012, Dien Trung was one of 10 communes in the entire province selected by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement the LIFSAP Project. Mr. Pham Van Can's household (in Hamlet 10) was one of the households granted VietGAP certification in 2014. Currently, the farm has 20,000 broiler chickens and 4,000 laying hens; it supplies the market with 3 batches per year, each batch consisting of 15,000-17,000 broiler chickens. The breeding process strictly adheres to standards from breeding stock, feed, hygiene, disease prevention, and waste treatment… However, currently, this chicken farm mainly sells its products directly to traders who come to buy them, and it has not yet found its way into large stores or supermarkets. "To obtain this certification, the entire chicken farming process must adhere to extremely strict procedures and standards, from breeding stock and feed to hygiene, disease prevention, and waste treatment."

"The breeding stock must be certified free of disease, and there must be a three-party contract between the supplier, the farming unit, and the inspection unit to ensure timely handling and clear assignment of responsibilities in case of incidents. Similarly, chicken feed must be from a company with a certificate and official seal from the State, free of additives that could pose a food safety risk to consumers. On average, the cost of raising chickens according to VietGAP standards is about 5-10% higher than traditional methods, but the selling price is not higher than market prices because there is still no distinction between VietGAP-certified products and mass-produced chickens," said Mr. Pham Van Can.

Development solutionssustainable

Agricultural production according to VietGAP standards was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in January 2008. To date, specifically for vegetables, the Vinh City People's Committee has implemented many safe production models following VietGAP standards in suburban communes. According to Mr. Tran Quang Lam, Head of the Economic Department of the Vinh City People's Committee, the city has had many programs, projects, and investment models to support commercial agricultural production. Priority has been given to programs expanding and developing safe vegetable production areas according to VietGAP standards and product consumption, but the effectiveness has not been high. The reason is that the models and programs have not taken into account economic efficiency according to market orientation and have not considered the feasibility of farmers being able to operate without state support. This has led to models using available budget funds not truly achieving business efficiency. Specifically for greenhouse production models, people are still not diligent enough or dedicated enough to properly implement cultivation techniques; they also lack dynamism and responsiveness in applying and sourcing the types of vegetables and fruits that the market needs at different times and seasons.

To overcome difficulties and open up development opportunities for safe vegetables, the Vinh City People's Committee has developed a sustainable development plan for safe vegetable growing areas, with a target of 2017. The plan aims to create a stable safe vegetable production area following VietGAP standards, with a minimum scale of 50 hectares in the communes of Nghi An, Nghi Lien, Nghi Kim, and Hung Dong. It will ensure the purchase of all produced goods, with a complete system for preliminary processing, processing, preservation, and distribution; build a brand of "Vinh City Safe Vegetables" that is widely accepted and consumed in the market; and has a total budget of over 7 billion VND…

Although producing according to VietGAP standards faces many difficulties, it is a solution to improve quality and ensure food safety. According to Mr. Truong Minh Chau, Head of the Crop Production Department of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: “One bottleneck that needs to be addressed soon is that agricultural products meeting GAP standards almost lack a dedicated distribution channel and have not yet built consumer trust. The immediate task is to strengthen linkages to build a distribution channel that ensures stable prices and product output. A separate VietGAP product sales area needs to be established, with vivid visual advertising to raise public awareness in both livestock farming and consumption.”

Regarding the consumption of vegetables, Mr. Duong Van Hung, Head of the Nghe An Provincial Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Product Quality Management, stated: “The budget from national target programs only supports the development of VietGAP processes for planting and harvesting, but not for preliminary processing. To comply with GAP standards, in addition to record-keeping and monitoring during production, there must be a processing facility at harvest time, and substandard products must be discarded. Most importantly, to build consumer trust, products must have proper packaging and a brand logo. Producers must bear the investment costs themselves, but people still rely on budget support. To overcome these difficulties, districts and communes need to coordinate with provincial agencies to improve the quality and food safety of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products. Currently, the Department has proposed that the Department of Agriculture advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop a project on “Strengthening the capacity for managing quality and food safety.” "All food" according to Decision 809 of the Prime Minister.

VietGAP-certified products are already available on the market, but they haven't been widely accepted by consumers due to the lack of clear criteria for identification. The role of regulatory agencies is to connect the two parties, facilitate the exchange of information, and facilitate the signing of supply and consumption contracts for VietGAP agricultural products. They should also monitor and address any issues that arise. A 5%-10% higher price is not a significant obstacle when consumers recognize that food safety protects their health. Therefore, producers must demonstrate to customers that their products meet VietGAP standards through visual identification. Once products have a brand name and VietGAP logo, distributors, intermediaries, importers, and consumers will feel confident in purchasing and using them. This will lead to improved production efficiency and market competitiveness.

Ngoc Anh