Luc Nam develops commodity-based agriculture, enhances competitiveness

Commodity-based agricultural production is an indispensable trend of development to improve the value of income per unit area. Recognising this issue, over the past years, Luc Nam district of Bac Giang province has paid attention to the development of quality, highly competitive commodity-based agriculture, thereby increasing the value of products and developing brands for local farm produce.

Commodity-based agriculture plays an important role in building new-style rural areas in many localities.

With its economy largely relying on agricultural production, Luc Nam identifies specific activities in commodity-based agricultural development, including the organization of research and dissemination; directing the making and issuance of documents; and implementation of planning schemes, mechanisms, policies and plans in line with regulations.

With specific activities, the agriculture in Luc Nam has seen many changes and developments in an increasingly professional and modern manner. The whole district has built 32 large-scale fields with the total funding of nearly 1 billion VND (43,800 USD), surpassing the plan assigned by the province by 6 percent, in addition to 18 production development models under the national target programme on new-style rural area building in 15 communes with total funding of nearly 3 billion VND (131,500 USD). 

The district has developed three net houses on an area of 9,160sq.m for hi-tech agricultural production and 28 production models under Program 135 in 10 communes with total funding of 4.6 billion VND (201,700 USD).

Luc Nam district, with natural advantages and available conditions, has focused on developing modern agricultural production by gradually improving the quality and efficiency of some key agricultural products. To date, the area of fruit trees grown up to VietGAP standards has increased rapidly and local fruits are increasingly popular. 

For example, lychees are grown on 700 hectares. The area of custard apple is equivalent to 155 percent of the plan to 2020 with the output of nearly 6,000 tonnes per year. Pineapple area reaches 155ha, or 86 percent of the plan to 2020, of which 15 hectares of Luc Nam pineapple cooperative has been granted the VietGAP standard certificate. 

In addition, the district has planted nearly 4,100 hectares of high-quality rice, improved the quality of vegetables for sale and developed animal husbandry towards biosafety.

The fact shows that the application of high technology in agricultural production has contributed to improving the lives of local people and gradually reducing poverty. It is also a great motivation to continue encouraging people to participate in developing commodity-based agricultural production and raising competitiveness as well as increasing the value of products and developing brands in the coming time in order to create products with high quality and competitiveness in the market.

According to the district’s Agriculture and Rural Development Division, in order to enable local agricultural products to compete in the market, the evaluation, review and planning of key products are very important. 

Besides, the transfer of science and technology and high technology application in agricultural production to improve productivity and quality in line with international food safety and hygiene standards continue to be paid attention, thus increasing the value of products and lowering costs, contributing to improving the value and efficiency of production.

The district has also paid heed to the transformation of the production organization towards cooperation through enterprises, cooperatives and cooperative groups; and promoting the connection between the State, businesses, scientists and farmers in which the State plays a guiding role so that businesses, scientists and farmers follow a common direction. 

The formation of areas specializing in large-scale commodity production is also considered a “strategic” solution in the future, helping create agricultural products that have the similar quality and high competitiveness in the demanding market like today.