'Father' of ST25 rice: Rice-shrimp rotation is a unique model that no other country has done.

Talking to experts from the ASEAN-Japan Center (AJC), the "father" of ST25 rice - labor hero, engineer Ho Quang Cua - said that thanks to the rotation of rice production - tiger shrimp farming, farmers have a profit of over 100 million VND/ha/year.

Journalist Tran Xuan Toan, deputy editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper (left), talks with the "father" of ST25 rice - Mr. Ho Quang Cua at the rice seed production farm in My Xuyen district - Photo: KHAC TAM

Within the framework of the workshop program "Building a national brand for Vietnamese rice" organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper in coordination with the People's Committee of Soc Trang province and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Soc Trang, on December 11, a delegation of experts from the ASEAN - Japan Center visited the seed production farm of Ho Quang Tri private enterprise and the rice - shrimp model in Gia Hoa 2 commune, My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province.

Joining the delegation were journalist Tran Xuan Toan, deputy editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, and leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang province.

Experts from the ASEAN-Japan Center visit the rice seed production farm of engineer Ho Quang Cua - Photo: QUANG DINH

After visiting the rice processing factory, the rice seed production area of ​​Mr. Cua's family's enterprise and the rice-shrimp production model, the experts discussed with Mr. Cua about the rice processing process, how to maintain the best quality when it reaches consumers; how to share rice seeds with farmers and the effectiveness of the rice-shrimp production model.

Labor hero Ho Quang Cua said that since 2000, when the State had a policy of rotating one rice crop and one tiger shrimp crop, people's income has increased significantly.

The ST25 fragrant rice variety is suitable for the regional structure, so there are hundreds of thousands of hectares in the Mekong Delta region.

"Thanks to the crop rotation structure, the productivity of shrimp farming and rice cultivation has increased significantly. Many foreign experts consider rice-shrimp rotation a unique, strange and effective model that no other country has been able to do," said Mr. Cua.

According to the leader of My Xuyen district, the locality has over 17,000 hectares of rice-shrimp farming, of which up to 50% of the area is cultivated with fragrant rice variety ST25.

Visiting the rice-shrimp model in My Xuyen district - Photo: QUANG DINH

Not only contributing to environmental improvement, growing ST25 fragrant rice on shrimp farming land also gives high yield, over 6 tons/ha/crop. ST25 rice has been sold at a good price recently, so farmers have achieved profits of over 100 million VND/ha/crop.

Mr. Ho Quang Cua said that harvesting, processing and packaging are just one step in the fragrant rice production chain. To have long, shiny and high-quality "pearl" grains, the seed selection stage is very important. Therefore, he and his colleagues are constantly selecting and researching to maintain stable quality.

According to Mr. Cua, after ST25 is recognized as a national variety, everyone can exploit this fragrant rice variety to expand and join hands to make Vietnamese rice famous. "My family's business also joined hands to build the Mr. Cua rice brand. However, we need to exploit and do business in accordance with the law," Mr. Cua emphasized.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cha-de-gao-st25-luan-canh-lua-tom-la-mo-hinh-doc-la-chua-nuoc-nao-lam-duoc-20241211133911744.htm