Linking production and consumption of winter crop products

Every year, Ha Nam province strives to cultivate nearly 9,000 hectares of winter crops, of which more than 60% is on double-rice land. Localities in the province are all aiming to produce commercial crops with high economic value. The organization of production linkages between enterprises and people through agricultural service cooperatives and agents is of interest, ensuring convenience in product consumption.

In the 2023 winter crop, Le Ho Commune (Kim Bang) planted 185 hectares of various crops on 2-rice land. Of which, the two main crops alone reached over 120 hectares, including: 70 hectares of pumpkin and more than 50 hectares of cucumber. To ensure the planned planting area, from the beginning of the crop, Le Ho Agricultural Service Cooperative has found a unit to link up to consume winter crop products for people. For cucumbers, local agents provide seeds and purchase products. The Cooperative operates agents operating in certain areas to avoid competition for buying and selling. For pumpkins, the Cooperative's Board of Directors directly contacts businesses to sign contracts to produce and consume products for people. In addition, for 30 hectares of sticky corn, if people have a need, Le Ho Agricultural Service Cooperative also helps find a source to consume products. From this direction, Le Ho's winter crop production is always guaranteed in terms of area and structure of commodity crops. Mr. Ta Quoc Toan, Director of Le Ho Agricultural Service Cooperative, said: For winter crops, when organizing commodity production, linking product consumption is an important factor. This direction ensures that products are not stagnant during harvest and prices are stable.

In the localities of Kim Bang district, the implementation of linking production and consumption of winter-season products is being effectively implemented. The role of the Agricultural Service Cooperative has been enhanced in the management and service of product consumption agreements. Van Xa commune produces more than 25 hectares of medium-fruit export cucumbers. Although it does not directly provide agricultural product consumption agreement services, Van Xa Agricultural Service Cooperative always does a good job of management so that local purchasing agents commit to paying people at the floor price of 4.7 thousand VND/kg, adjusted to increase according to market prices. The cooperative allocates a production support fund for winter-season land preparation for the export cucumber area at 55 thousand VND/sao. Or at Tuong Linh Agricultural Service Cooperative, it still maintains a contract with enterprises to consume products on 40 hectares of sticky corn for people... It is known that, only counting the export crops in the winter crop, Kim Bang district plans to plant 1,170 hectares, accounting for nearly 60% of the total planting area, including: Cucumber 425 hectares, other crops 745 hectares. According to Ms. Le Thi Phuong, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kim Bang district, the district directs localities to focus on developing commodity crops, especially crops with export value. At the same time, it is required that when developing a plan, attention must be paid to solutions for linking production and consumption of products. Currently, over 60% of the district's agricultural service cooperatives are able to provide services for consuming winter agricultural products.

Linking production and consumption of winter crop products — ***Winter cucumber production in Le Ho Commune (Kim Bang) is purchased by associated agents.***
Photo: Thanh Nam

The association in production and consumption of winter products is being implemented in many forms in localities in the province. In many places, enterprises sign with agents to deploy planting and purchasing products. During the season, agents build production areas and purchase products for people right at the edge of the fields at the market price at the time of purchase. Some agricultural service cooperatives maintain contracts with enterprises consuming winter products to ensure a floor price throughout the season and adjust when the market price increases. In Chan Ly commune, Ly Nhan district, two agricultural cooperatives (Chan Ly and Tan Ly) have signed contracts with Huynh Tuan Private Enterprise located in the area to consume products for 20 hectares of exported cucumbers. This winter crop, the floor price that enterprises signed at the beginning of the season was 10,000 VND/kg of baby melon (4-6 cm), an increase of 1,000 VND compared to the previous crop. To facilitate the people in the production process, the enterprise advances 500 thousand VND/sao (seed money), then deducts it from the product sales price. The purchasing unit coordinates with the Agricultural Cooperative to set up product weighing points in villages and hamlets at harvest time. Mr. Luong Van Tuan, Director of Huynh Tuan Private Enterprise, said: Linking production and product consumption brings benefits to both people and enterprises. Farmers do not have to find a place to consume their products, and enterprises can proactively control the amount of raw materials for processing according to export orders signed with partners.

In fact, the association of growing and consuming winter products brings high efficiency in production development. Some of the province's main winter crops are being linked, such as: cucumber, pumpkin, waxy corn, sweet corn... In particular, the export cucumber crop is identified as the main direction in the winter crop in many localities due to its outstandingly high value, with an average of 8 - 10 million VND/crop per sao. To expand the production area and promote the effectiveness of this crop, the product consumption is linked with processing enterprises. In the province, there are currently 6 enterprises, processing facilities and a number of enterprises outside the province linking to produce and purchase cucumbers for export. Therefore, the province's cucumber production area in the winter crop is always maintained at 750 - 800 hectares, of which more than 70% of the area is used as raw materials for processing and export.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Nam, Head of the Department of Crop Production, Plant Protection and Forestry (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) said: Localities in the province are implementing quite well the linkage to promote production development. When having a linkage contract, people pay more attention to productivity and product quality. The agricultural sector is continuing to orient, propagate, and create a trade promotion forum to further strengthen the linkage in production and product consumption between businesses and people.

Winter crop production is determined to increase value and bring significant income to people in rural areas. Therefore, there needs to be more effective directions and solutions in planning growing areas as well as strengthening the linkage between production and consumption of winter crop products.

Manh Hung

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