From 2021, the banana growing area - one of the province's key crops according to Resolution 10 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on the Strategy for developing commodity agriculture to 2030, with a vision to 2050, has decreased sharply due to many reasons.
Faced with that situation, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee signed Document No. 1562 requesting provincial departments, branches, People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to promote the implementation of solutions to maintain and develop raw material areas for bananas, pineapples and temperate fruit trees with the spirit of not letting the goal of developing banana areas "run out of steam".
In recent years, the area of commercial bananas has been mainly concentrated in the districts of Bat Xat, Muong Khuong, and Bao Thang. This is a crop with high economic value, contributing to promoting economic development and increasing income for people.
According to the agricultural sector's assessment, in 2020, the banana growing area of the whole province reached 3,800 hectares, the output reached 85,000 tons, the production value was 500 billion VND (an average of more than 156 million VND/ha). By the end of 2023, the banana growing area of the province will be 2,355 hectares, the output will be more than 60,000 tons, the value will be more than 400 billion VND (an average of 170 million VND/ha).
“Lao Cai banana products are officially exported to the Chinese market (accounting for 90% of output), forming concentrated commodity production areas to meet domestic and export requirements; gradually shifting from small-scale production thinking to commodity production thinking according to market requirements; forming production teams and groups; producing under joint contracts; creating jobs for thousands of workers, accelerating the process of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and new rural construction,” said Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quang Vinh.
Although the value of banana trees is very large, the area of this crop in the province has decreased sharply in recent times. Specifically, in 2020 it reached 3,800 hectares, by the end of 2023 it was only 2,355 hectares (a decrease of 1,445 hectares). In the first quarter of 2024 alone, the banana area in the province decreased by 438 hectares compared to 2023. According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, there are 4 basic reasons leading to the sharp decrease in banana area in the province, which is that some areas have ended their business cycle (4-5 years) and must be replaced. Up to now, people have newly planted a cumulative 232/700 hectares, reaching 33% of the 2024 plan. According to the plan, by the end of 2024, the whole province will plant 700 hectares, then the banana area for the whole year will reach 2,285 hectares.
Some banana growing areas have been planted for many cycles, while Panama yellowing disease is still complicated in long-term banana growing areas because there is no specific medicine, so people are replacing it with other crops. Regarding the banana export market, Lao Cai currently has to compete with banana products from Laos, Cambodia, and the Philippines exported to China (at times, the export price of Lao Cai bananas has dropped to 1,500 VND/kg - 2,000 VND/kg), making people feel uneasy about production. Lao Cai province does not have enterprises that process deeply after harvest to increase value and preservation time, only selling fresh products. These are also the reasons leading to the reduction of banana acreage in the area in recent times.
Faced with the situation of a sharp decrease in banana acreage in the area, at a recent meeting, the Provincial Steering Committee for Agricultural Commodity Production Development requested sectors and localities to step up propaganda and firmly pursue the goal of developing banana growing areas. Implementing the direction of the province, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference to discuss solutions for developing banana, pineapple, and temperate fruit growing areas associated with linking production and consumption of products in Lao Cai province in the period of 2024 - 2025. On that basis, the department advised the Provincial People's Committee to submit Document No. 1562 on promoting the implementation of solutions to maintain and develop raw material areas for bananas, pineapples, and temperate fruit trees in Lao Cai province in the period of 2024 - 2025, focusing on 4 groups of solutions.
Regarding land solutions, localities should review all existing land funds to plan planting areas, arrange banana planting land appropriately according to the general orientation of the province and ensure the maintenance and expansion of the area. Develop a plan to convert land for low-value crops to commercial banana cultivation to ensure the maintenance and expansion of the area in the area. For banana growing areas severely damaged by Panama yellow leaf disease, switch to other crops such as corn, peanuts, legumes, etc. for 2-3 years to improve the soil to be free of disease sources, then continue to grow commercial bananas.
Regarding the solution of varieties, strengthen the state management of varieties, focus on research and selection of high-quality, disease-resistant varieties suitable for the soil, climate, and cultivation level of Lao Cai people. Build a production system and supply quality, disease-free banana varieties with clear origin.
Solutions for organizing production, processing, consumption, organizing production linkages according to the value chain between enterprises, cooperatives and production households, focusing on enterprises, processing, consumption as the focal point; creating opportunities for enterprises, cooperatives, purchasing focal points inside and outside the province to form regional linkages. Production organization must be linked to market demand for stable and sustainable production; establishing cooperatives and cooperative groups to link production and sustainable product consumption; guiding enterprises, organizations and individuals to produce according to standards and certify growing area codes. Integrating and mobilizing funding sources from programs and projects to develop banana growing areas that meet standards for domestic consumption and export...
Scientific and technical solutions, promoting the transfer of scientific and technical advances to improve productivity and product quality, focusing on guiding businesses, cooperatives and people to use Panama disease-resistant banana varieties; planting at the right time. For banana growing areas with mild damage from Panama disease (yellow leaf disease), continue to guide the application of technical measures according to the process of the Plant Protection Department; for banana areas with severe damage from Panama disease, resolutely switch to other crops.
“If these four groups of solutions are well implemented, Lao Cai's banana growing areas will certainly be maintained and expanded, contributing to increasing the production value of the agricultural sector as well as bringing high income to the people,” affirmed Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quang Vinh.
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