Meet the "Cooperative Stars of 2024"

Along with 100 outstanding cooperatives nationwide, the Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative (Thieu Hoa district) and the Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative (Thanh Hoa city) were awarded the "Cooperative Star 2024" award by the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance. This award honors cooperatives with outstanding achievements in production and business development, making positive contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duong, Director of Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative, at the cooperative's high-tech agricultural production area.

Contributing to the formation of modern agricultural production thinking.

Despite being busy preparing for the harvest and selling agricultural products for local people, Mr. Nguyen Van Duong, Director of Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative, still took the time to share the efforts and achievements of the cooperative over the past period. As an agricultural cooperative established in 1996 following the traditional local model, it operated inefficiently before the transformation under the 2012 Cooperative Law. After the transformation under the 2015 Cooperative Law, the cooperative has strived to innovate in all aspects, experiencing many positive changes and developing further.

Currently, Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative has 505 members. In addition to developing public services and caring for local agricultural production, the cooperative also mobilizes capital from members and other sources to invest in and develop high-tech agricultural production. Furthermore, the cooperative supplies high-quality rice and vegetable seeds to meet the needs of the people.

Since 2019, the cooperative has signed an agreement with Lam Son Sugar Company for the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge and the guaranteed purchase of high-tech, greenhouse-grown Kim Hoang Hau yellow melons. To date, the cooperative has invested approximately 10 billion VND to build 4.1 hectares of greenhouses and net houses for the production of Kim Hoang Hau melons, baby cucumbers, and safe vegetables and fruits. Simultaneously, it supports and encourages the replication of high-tech agricultural production models among its member households. The "Van Ha yellow melon" and "Van Ha baby cucumber" products of Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative have been recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as achieving OCOP 4-star standards, becoming one of the agricultural products with a sustainable production and consumption chain, well-received by markets both within and outside the province. As a result, the cooperative's annual revenue exceeds 26 billion VND, achieving a growth rate of 15% or more per year.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duong stated: "The cooperative has achieved its current success thanks to the unity and significant contributions of its members. Over the years, the cooperative has always encouraged people to join because they gain knowledge, change their production mindset, access many business partners, and benefit from various services. They also share in the profits from the purchase of members' products and receive support in finding markets for their produce."

Thanks to continuous efforts, the members of Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative have now developed a production area of ​​over 20 hectares of vegetables certified to VietGAP standards, with traceability labels, bringing in revenue of 380 to 400 million VND/hectare/year. In addition to supporting people in investing in high-tech applications in agricultural production, the cooperative also advises the People's Committee of Thieu Hoa town to open a booth to introduce safe agricultural products; bringing the local agricultural products to participate in trade fairs, and promoting products on the software system connecting supply and demand for safe agricultural products and food in Thanh Hoa province.

Efforts to improve the lives of workers

Returning from the "Cooperative Star Award Ceremony 2024" in Hanoi, Ms. Dang Thi Thuy, Director of Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative, happily stated that the cooperative's development to its current state is the result of the continuous efforts of its 327 employees and members.

After 18 years of operation in the field of urban public sanitation, thanks to the dynamism and creativity of the cooperative's management board and members, the Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative has become a leading example among non-agricultural cooperatives in the province. Currently, the cooperative has partnered with several businesses to expand its service area to the districts of Dong Son, Quang Xuong, and Trieu Son. In addition, it has diversified its services to include manufacturing garbage bins, maintaining and repairing garbage trucks, etc. The registered capital of the Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative has reached 6.5 billion VND, the number of employees has increased to 327, and revenue in 2023 reached 84.6 billion VND.

In addition to diversifying its business areas, the cooperative also effectively implements policies and regulations for its employees (salary increases, ensuring health insurance, social insurance, leave, etc.) in a complete and serious manner. Currently, the average salary of employees at the cooperative is 9.8 million VND/person/month. Workplace safety is always a priority at the unit. As a result, employees at the cooperative feel secure in their work and dedicate themselves fully to the overall development of the unit.

Ms. Dang Thi Thuy, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative, stated: "The 'Cooperative Star Award 2024' is a recognition from the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance of the cooperative's contributions to the local economic development in particular and the collective economic development in general. In the future, the cooperative will continue to improve the quality of its services, develop plans to ensure the waste sorting and treatment model achieves high efficiency, and focus on creating a united, healthy, and cohesive working environment among its members, contributing to improving the material and spiritual well-being of its employees."

Expressing his honor and pride in the "Cooperative Stars" of 2024, the Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Cooperative Union, Nguyen Dinh Tuan, stated: The Thieu Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative and the Tan Son Environmental Sanitation Service Cooperative deservedly received the Vietnam Cooperative Star Award in 2024. These two cooperatives not only operate effectively and contribute to the overall development of the collective economic sector, but also create jobs for many rural workers, produce goods, and protect the environment. Each cooperative has its own goals and values, but ultimately, they strive to produce and conduct business, provide employment for workers, and build added value for life.

Text and photos: Le Hoa

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gap-go-nhung-ngoi-sao-htx-2024-219775.htm