Can Tho cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, specialized cultivation sustainably

DNHN - Implementing the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares specializing in high-quality rice cultivation in conjunction with green growth in the Mekong Delta," Can Tho City aims to convert 50,000 hectares to high-quality rice production.

In addition, the project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, be environmentally friendly, increase the value and income of rice for farmers, contribute to national food security, and boost export slogans. The term fruit.

According to the plan, the City of Can Tho will strive to bring 50,000 hectares of rice production to the project before 2030. To reach this objective, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has evaluated 34,000 hectares in the VnSAT (Sustainable Agricultural Transformation) Project area in the districts of Vinh Thanh, Co Do, and Thoi. Lai (City of Can Tho) in preparation for participation in the Project.

After five years of implementation, there have been 25 cooperatives and infrastructure and production equipment are becoming increasingly modern, according to statistics. Specifically, there are 28 straw-rolling machines, 180 rice-drying ovens, and 167 electric pumping stations within the project area, all of which were funded by VnSAT and other sources. The total area of production purchased and consumed by businesses exceeds 15,000 hectares. The rate of purchase in the area initially registered reached 94%.

Reporters from Enterprise and Integration Magazine interviewed Mr. Pham Thai Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company in Thot District, to learn more about sustainable rice production and the rice export industry. Not - City of Can Tho.

Please explain what must be done to sustainably develop the rice production and export industry.

Mr. Pham Thai Binh: The rice industry accounts for a significant portion of the country's economy, with approximately 20 million people reliant on rice cultivation. Vietnam is the world's leading provider of annual rice. However, Vietnam's rice industry, including both production and consumption, remains in an unsustainable development position; the income of farmers and businesses remains very low, precarious, and unstable. For this industry to develop sustainably, production must be linked to consumption; more specifically, rice cultivation must correspond to the domestic and international market's needs.

Is it common knowledge that the Trung An Company's model of linking businesses with farmers is presently quite successful? Can you elaborate on how this strategy will protect farmers from market fluctuations and make them feel secure in their production?

Mr. Thai Binh Pham: To enhance the quality and value of Vietnamese rice on the international stage, the Vietnamese rice industry is compelled to forge closer ties between farmers and businesses involved in rice cultivation. As a result, Trung An Company has been a pioneer in linking fields in numerous provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region for more than a decade, allowing farmers to be proactive in production and have a stable income, as well as for business. The industry is proactive in both domestic and international consumption. Close ties between farmers and businesses are the key to market-linked production that satisfies the needs of all rice consumers worldwide. Modernizing and advancing the mindset of rice farmers by the trend of using environmentally friendly, green agricultural products.

Recent price increases in the rice export market are extremely encouraging. Can Vietnam embrace this chance? Are there instances in which businesses and farmers attempt to negotiate prices or cancel their wagers? What do you assess and recommend for establishing a stable and sustainable market?

Mr. Thai Binh Pham: Numerous global occurrences, most notably extreme climate change, have been predicted to result in an annual rice shortage that worsens. Rising rice prices and shortages like the one in August 2023 pose a significant problem for many import-dependent nations. Vietnam's rice industry is well-positioned to capitalize on this shortage, and rice farmers in particular stand to gain greatly. However, many difficulties arise for rice export businesses that sign contracts in advance when there are insufficient customers. In recent years, the Party, State, Government, and Ministry of Agriculture have provided many directives for the sustainable development of Vietnam's rice industry, including the linking of businesses and farmers. Rice must be widely distributed throughout the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta. This is the best way to ensure a stable and harmonious high income for farmers and businesses alike.

How is Trung An, which manages more than 10,000 hectares of rice cultivation, involved in the breeding and study of new rice varieties? How many rice varieties are currently the subject of research and commercialization?

Mr. Pham Thai Binh: Trung An Company specializes in producing, processing, trading, and sustainably exporting rice, so breeding and seed production is a very important step. The company has invested in building infrastructure of nearly 1,000 hectares to produce rice seeds to provide certified seeds for cooperatives and farmers in fields affiliated with the Company. Currently, the Company has bred two new rice varieties with high medicinal properties, which are the Red TA variety and the Purple TA variety. In the Winter-Spring crop of 2023-2024, the product will be brought to market.

What markets does Trung An rice export to? Being a direct exporter of rice, are you able to be proactive with pricing and not be subject to price pressure?

Mr. Pham Thai Binh: Trung An Company specializes in producing, processing, trading, and exporting rice mainly in the high-quality segment and exporting to demanding markets such as Europe, America, Korea, Malaysia, China, and the UK... so ensuring safety and stability in both quality and quantity for the markets is a key factor that the Company implements throughout. That is why the Company has always focused on building raw material areas linked to production along the value chain to proactively source goods that meet export standards according to customer requirements throughout its operations. Linking businesses with farmers, and linking production with consumption also ensures high income for both farmers and businesses harmoniously and sustainably.

As one of the companies with a long history of rice milling and exporting in Thot Not, Trung An has taken steps to establish a brand and has direct export customers, which is not always the case for other businesses. The private sector is capable. What inspired Trung An to take such daring actions to achieve his current accomplishments?

Mr. Pham Thai Binh: Trung An Company choosing to produce rice in the high-quality segment and export to difficult markets is a bold step, taking the initiative, and choosing the difficult thing to do. But we achieved great results. Because this is a breakthrough in business. Linking with farmers to produce products according to customer needs is the key to improving community consumption. Vietnam's rice industry accounts for a large proportion, of rice growers and their lives depend on rice rice is very large (about 20 million people), so businesses must work for the country's agriculture, for the community and must love the agricultural industry... building a brand and enhancing the value of the country's agricultural products.

How do you assess the current high price of rice in the rice industry as a result of too many intermediaries or the absence of a "conductor" to lead the market to create valuable and grasp Vietnamese rice grains? Why not take advantage when market prices rise?

Mr. Thai Binh Pham: Today, the rice industry in Vietnam has undergone numerous progressive changes, such as the diversification of rice varieties to improve rice quality. Particularly, Vietnamese rice is always fresh, and many large traditional markets rely on it. In recent years, Vietnamese rice prices have frequently been higher than those of many other countries, including major rice-exporting nations such as Thailand and India. However, from a professional standpoint, Vietnam's rice industry is still in a state of unsustainable development, with production linked to consumption remaining low and natural advantages unused. Vietnam is endowed with luxuriant alluvial plains and a relatively mild climate, with few extreme factors.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has recently collaborated with the government and leading businesses in the provinces of the Mekong Delta to develop a project involving 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice for submission to the Prime Minister for approval and implementation. By 2030, raise the uniformity and value of Vietnamese rice to a new level, capitalize on the country's and industry's advantages, and increase the income of rice growers and rice industry businesses. contribute to domestic and global food security.

Thank you very much!

Bich Lien - Thu Hien (performed)