Organic farming enhances agricultural products

Farmers harvest custard apples

Changing farming mindsets

Currently, in the province, there are many effective organic agricultural production models such as the Hoa Hoi Commune Safe Vegetable, Root and Fruit Production Cooperative Group, with a cultivation area of over 25 hectares, specializing in producing clean seasonal vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, green squash, bitter melon, etc.

Cooperative group members proactively apply safe production processes, both increasing product value and easily monitoring the development of each type of vegetable.

Mr. Pham Van Ut, one of the active members of the group, is cultivating 3,000 m² of safe cucumbers.

Mr. Ut shared that this year, although the erratic weather made growing cucumbers difficult, it only took about 35 days from sowing to harvesting. Cucumbers have a stable output, mainly sold to local traders and markets in the area. After the cucumber crop, he plans to continue growing other crops to maintain a continuous production chain.

Mr. Pham Van Ut grows cucumbers organically

Group members have also boldly invested in a modern irrigation system, providing enough clean water and watering the entire vegetable garden. The sprinkler irrigation system not only creates suitable humidity, helping vegetables grow well but also shortens the time and saves a significant amount of irrigation water.

When participating in the cooperative group, members are trained in the process of producing safe vegetables from cleaning the soil, treating pathogens in the soil to selecting seeds, caring for them and especially the integrated pest management program on vegetables; they are also instructed on how to use appropriate biological pesticides.

This not only protects farmers' health but also creates trust with consumers, helping safe vegetable products gain a firm foothold in the market, and be purchased at stable prices.

In addition, organic production is also applied to rice. In the recent Summer-Autumn and Winter-Spring crops of 2024-2025, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (residing in Phuoc Chi commune) grew 2 crops of ST25 rice using organic methods.

Mr. Thanh shared: “With the encouragement of the Agricultural Extension Center, I switched from traditional rice growing methods to organic, and was supported with 50% of the cost of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Although organic rice cultivation requires a lot of weeding because it does not spray herbicides and pesticides, in return, the product is guaranteed to be safe.”

He also noticed that when participating in this demonstration model, the number of times of fertilizing was significantly reduced compared to traditional production, and the rice plants grew and developed better.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh grows ST25 rice using organic methods

Focusing on traceability

Ms. Mai Thi Kim Phuong (Tan An ward) grows 4,000 m² of green-skinned pomelo organically, bringing a stable source of income for her family.

Previously, Ms. Phuong grew rice but the profit was not high, so she decided to switch crops. After consulting many models, she boldly chose green-skinned pomelo to develop the economy.

Her pomelo garden is 9 years old. She regularly fertilizes with biological fertilizers, sprays biological pesticides to control insects, and prunes the trees to create a canopy.

She said: "Using organic fertilizers and biological pesticides is a suitable direction in agricultural production today."

Ms. Mai Thi Kim Phuong's green-skinned pomelo garden is in harvest time

In order to bring organic green-skinned pomelo products to many consumers, Ms. Phuong has recently registered for product traceability stamps and put the products on e-commerce platforms. In addition, she has applied for VietGAP certification and is waiting for approval.

She said: “Organic agricultural production is a sustainable direction, helping to enhance the brand of Vietnamese agricultural products. When developing the pomelo growing model, I use organic fertilizers and biological pesticides to help them grow well, increase their lifespan, and prevent the soil from becoming barren, while not affecting the environment and the health of users. The final products do not contain pesticide residues, so consumers love and trust them.”

Promoting consumption on digital platforms

In addition to focusing on product traceability, many individuals and businesses also sell on digital platforms. Minh Trung Agricultural Services Cooperative (Tan Phu commune) has more than 100 hectares of custard apples according to VietGAP standards.

In addition, the cooperative also links production and consumes products of 130 households growing custard apples in the locality and neighboring areas.

Mr. Le Minh Trung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Minh Trung Agricultural Service Cooperative, said: "The cooperative links custard apples growing areas, providing products to a wide market from Hanoi to Ca Mau, with a system of level 1 and level 2 agents and a chain of clean fruit stores in each province and city. In particular, Minh Trung Cooperative is pioneering the application of sales via livestream to promote products to consumers."

Mr. Le Minh Trung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Minh Trung Agricultural Service Cooperative (left), livestreaming to sell custard apples

"Each livestream reaches a large number of customers. Hopefully in the future, this channel will be developed because it is a very potential product consumption method." - Mr. Trung added.

Combining the trio of organic production, traceability and digital platforms will create opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products to "take off". This is not only a way to increase economic value and sustainable income for farmers, but also contributes to protecting consumers' health, thereby affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products in the market./.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in the last 6 months of 2025, the department will continue to effectively implement plans, focusing on implementing the project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030"; promote propaganda, guidance, and transfer of science and technology, especially technical advances and good production practices; continue to convert the structure of crops and livestock reasonably and effectively. The agricultural sector will strengthen the implementation of measures to prevent and control diseases on crops and livestock; promote the management and supervision of growing area codes and packaging warehouse codes to help improve product quality and increase the value of goods.

By Hoang Yen - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nong-nghiep-huu-co-nang-tam-nong-san-a199755.html