Hoa Binh province raises export value with organic agriculture

From the mixed garden farming, agriculture in Hoa Binh province changed strongly to high-value and sustainable production following the organic process.

Longan is granted geographical indication at Son Thuy Agricultural Cooperative. Photo: Huy Binh

Renovating mixed gardens

Since 2016, Hoa Binh has renovated mixed gardens, which were farmers’ main farming form in the province before. Instead, each commune, district, to build a commodity production area suitable to the local land’s characteristics.

Currently, Hoa Binh has many fruit trees under the OCOP program, such as red grapefruit, green skin grapefruit, longan, guava, apple, purple sugarcane, etc.

The province’s highland communes only produce agricultural products organically, with the main products being vegetables such as chayote, sweet mandarin, medicinal plants, etc. And remote communes focus on developing Doi trees.

Indigenous trees are gradually replaced by new varieties, helping to increase production value. Thousands of households have followed this model.

Hoa Binh province has more than 2,000 hectares of citrus trees, 66.5 hectares of bananas, longan, dragon fruit, and red turmeric certified for food safety. The province has 14 hi-tech gardens in seven districts with an area of ​​289.5 hectares.

Many cooperatives in the province producing agricultural products with high economic efficiency were born, such as Muong Dong Commercial Agriculture Cooperative, Kim Boi district, specializing in citrus trees; and Son Thuy Agricultural Cooperative, Kim Boi district, produces longan.

Mr. Le Xuan Ha, Dong Huong village, Thong Nhat commune, Lac Thuy district, Hoa Binh province, has more than 34 hectares of farming land. In which, 2 hectares of greenhouses specialize in producing cantaloupe according to GlobalGAP standards. The yield is from 200-300 tonnes per year.

Mr. Ha has invested many modern technologies in the melon growing area. The entire greenhouse is monitored through the central control cabinet. Automatic drip irrigation technology, with pressure compensation, helping plants grow uniformly. The fan system keeps the greenhouse temperature at 37 degrees, and the humidity is less than 95%.

Due to the control of the farming environment, Mr. Ha reduces the cost of labor, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Enhancing the role of Cooperatives

Mr. Tran Tien Bon, Kim Duc village, Vinh Tien commune, Kim Boi district currently raises 12,000 chickens, starting with 2,000 chickens. His farm is now spacious, has an incubator. He sells 210,000 eggs per year.

The leap of Mr. Bon’s farm is due to bio-cushion. This technology helps to deodorize manure, make the barn porous, and avoid harmful microorganisms. Therefore, his chicken is less sick.

According to Mr. Do Duc Truong, Director of the Agricultural Extension Center of Hoa Binh province, the province has also developed many models such as raising Doc fish, black carp, sturgeon on the Da river lake, genetic conservation Lac Thuy chicken, etc.

“Agricultural production models according to VietGAP, GlobalGAP is getting increased in Hoa Binh. Farmers are changing their production mindset to get safety, sustainability, and environmental friendliness," Mr. Do Duc Truong said.

The replication of these models is currently facing difficulties, mainly from the people. They lack synchronous investment, still keep the habit of following market prices when selling agricultural products.

Mr. Do Duc Truong offered a solution to mobilize cooperatives and mass organizations such as Farmers' Union, Women's Union, and Youth Union to get involved.

“Our goal is to enhance the supply chain of agricultural products by strengthening the role of cooperatives. In addition, the province also closely associates agricultural development with new rural construction, combining high-tech application into production," Mr. Do Duc Truong emphasized.

Hoa Binh province has applied smart agriculture in cultivation, animal husbandry, and agricultural product processing in recent years.

According to statistics, up to now, the province has 104 cooperatives. Enterprises investing in agriculture and rural areas contributing to increasing the proportion of high-tech agricultural production value to over 25% of the total agricultural output of the province.