Agricultural development associated with sustainable planning

Binh Phuoc province, with its large reserve area and diverse natural conditions, has always been considered one of the important agricultural centers of the Southeast region. In order to increase agricultural value, enhance competitiveness and closely link with the provincial planning, Binh Phuoc has been taking strategic steps to turn agricultural production into an agricultural economy.

Binh Phuoc has a total natural area of ​​over 6,800km², of which agricultural land accounts for about 85%. This is a great advantage for the province to develop long-term industrial crops such as cashew, rubber, pepper and specialty fruit trees such as durian, avocado, jackfruit.

Cashew nuts after harvest will be dried before processing - Photo: Tien Dung

Currently, Binh Phuoc has created large, concentrated raw material areas, the leading rubber and cashew production areas in the country. Rubber area is 242,588 hectares (accounting for 26% of the country's area), cashew area is 149,520 hectares (accounting for 49% of the country's area); the remaining pepper area is 12,878 hectares, coffee is 14,020 hectares, durian is 7,822 hectares. Along with that, the province also has 77 growing area codes that are eligible for official export with an area of ​​4,523.84 hectares and 9 packaging facilities.

Binh Phuoc is the leading province in the country in terms of cashew output and export. The province's cashew exports contribute significantly to the total export turnover of Vietnam's cashew industry, with about 3.6 billion USD in 2023. In order for cashew to continue to be the main industrial crop in the province's agricultural economic pillar, in addition to maintaining a stable raw material area, it is necessary to focus on increasing productivity and competitiveness of the industry cluster.

Ms. Thi Khui, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of Bu Lach Grassland Organic Cashew Agricultural Cooperative, Bu Dang District, said: In the current increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, standard care will help crops become less dependent on the weather. In addition, to increase the value of cashew trees, the State needs to have solutions to gradually replant cashew varieties with high productivity and good quality seeds suitable for local weather and soil conditions, especially in ethnic minority areas.

“Cashew nuts are a type of food, so farmers need to take care of them according to food safety regulations, apply proper care techniques, and farming techniques towards “green agriculture”. Only then can we improve productivity, quality, and increase the competitive value of cashew nuts in the market,” affirmed Mr. Tran Van Ha, a long-time cashew farmer in village 7, Binh Minh commune, Bu Dang district.

In addition, Mr. Ha also recommended that the State promote the development of the "Binh Phuoc Cashew" brand in the direction of specialty, multi-value, multi-product; prioritize export, domestic consumption; avoid commercial fraud in the cashew industry. Besides, create conditions for farmers to truly participate in value chain linkage from planting, care, purchasing and processing, export; promote the development of mechanization and prioritize investment in post-harvest processing and preservation technology; promote the building of product brands, traceability, focus on growing area codes, thereby increasing revenue and increasing profits.

Mr. Hoang Hong Tien, Director of Bazan Cashew Company, Bu Dang district, commented: According to the planning, the cashew growing area in Binh Phuoc is gradually narrowing, instead, farmers are approaching new varieties with high productivity and good output to put into cultivation.

“For businesses, quality is always the top priority, improving production quality to have world-class cashew nuts - number 1 in the world. In addition, we both produce and research deep processing to create many dishes from cashew nuts, the important thing is that they must be delicious and suitable for the taste of consumers in countries around the world. At the same time, to achieve the value of cashew nuts commensurate with their potential, we have strong promotional programs to build the Binh Phuoc cashew nut brand to become a familiar specialty dish, indispensable to all people in the world”, said Mr. Tien.

Cashew classification is an important step to ensure that exported products meet the correct standards - Photo: Phu Quy

Binh Phuoc has 242,000 hectares of rubber, making it one of the largest rubber producing areas in the country - Photo: Phu Quy

Binh Phuoc province's planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, aims to reduce the rubber area from 247,000 hectares to about 200,000 hectares, developing towards improving the competitiveness of the industry cluster. Planning planting areas, strengthening the search for technological solutions to reduce labor intensity, especially basic labor in rubber plantations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu, a latex tapping worker at Group 4, Binh Minh Rubber Farm (Binh Long Rubber Company Limited) said: “I myself have determined that working as a latex tapping worker for a state-owned enterprise means that my job is always stable. The job is suitable and close to home; every day after completing the delivery of latex to the unit, I can go home to take care of my family, increase production, and develop the family economy. What I personally feel is that the salary and income regimes, as well as the policies and regimes are always fully and promptly taken care of by the company and farm leaders.

In addition, mass organizations always care, accompany, encourage, and visit on holidays, New Year or when sick, ill, or when the family has a happy or sad event. School-age children are rewarded for their high academic achievements; they participate in useful activities during the summer, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc. That is a great source of encouragement to help workers overcome difficult times and stay with the unit for a long time. I hope that the company's production and business activities will be increasingly effective. The farm, the team, and each worker themselves have exceeded the latex tapping plan every year. Mass organizations coordinate and take better care of the workers' lives."

Mr. Trinh Dinh Su, Cha Lon Hamlet, Minh Duc Commune, Hon Quan District, has 15 hectares of rubber trees about 15 years old, earning 150 million VND per month from rubber trees after deducting expenses. Mr. Su affirmed: “Rubber trees play a very important role and I believe they will continue to be the main crop of Binh Phuoc Province. The factors for rubber to be the main crop are that it is easy to care for and provides stable income. Although the price has dropped as low as in recent years, it still ensures the lives of rubber growers. I hope the government has a solution to keep the price stable as it is now or higher, which would be very good.”

With proper care and technical procedures, Binh Phuoc pepper yields about 5 tons/ha - Photo: Dong Kiem

For pepper, the area will also be reduced from 15,890 hectares in 2020 to about 10,000 hectares in 2030. At the same time, focus on growing areas that are advantageous for pepper growth, reducing pepper acreage in unsuitable places. Improve pepper productivity and quality, especially in the cultivation and post-harvest stages. Cut down old trees with low productivity, focus on caring for trees with high productivity and quality.

Along with that, promote the application of science and technology, standardize the cultivation process, and link pepper production towards clean agriculture. Focus on doing a good job with pepper varieties, selecting good varieties for recognition, and finding standard cultivation processes for each ecological sub-region. Propaganda, ensuring timely harvest when pepper is ripe, post-harvest preservation is ensured so that pepper is not lost and good quality is maintained. Build an appropriate mechanism to ensure close connection between agricultural processing and raw material production, ensuring a solid foundation for shifting crop structure. Promote the diversification of processed and exported pepper products.

Organic pepper products are the choice of pepper growing cooperatives in Binh Phuoc province - Photo: Dong Kiem

Starting to grow pepper in 2012 - the golden age of pepper, until now, although pepper prices have not remained high, but with perseverance and determination to preserve the garden, Mr. Tran Van Huan, Tan Thuan village, Tan Tien commune, Bu Dop district has changed his farming mindset from using chemical pesticides to using organic products, thereby achieving GAP standards as required by the pepper industry planning.

“I realized that if I used chemical fertilizers, the investment cost would be high and the pepper garden would quickly become exhausted. Therefore, I consulted experts, combined with my experience in examining soil quality, and from there I switched to using organic fertilizers. With 1,500 pepper trees, I only invest about 45 million VND a year in fertilizer. My pepper garden grows well and has a stable yield every year,” Mr. Huan shared.

Durian is the main fruit tree developed in Binh Phuoc - Photo: Phu Quy

By 2030, increase the area of ​​fruit trees to about 20,000 hectares. Develop the fruit industry according to market signals, improve the competitiveness of industry clusters. Plan and recommend planting areas, invest in infrastructure and irrigation systems with focus, form large-scale raw material areas. Support people to connect with businesses, meet domestic and international standards, gradually approach the world market with the Binh Phuoc agricultural product brand.

Mr. Hoang Van Hai,   The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Long Phu Durian Cooperative, Phu Nghia Commune, Bu Gia Map District affirmed: When durian products meet OCOP standards, they will be trusted by consumers, bringing a stable consumption market, thereby encouraging farmers to apply advanced science and technology in the process of planting and caring for durian trees to replace old production thinking. At the same time, it will create opportunities for local products to reach large markets, creating conditions for durian trees to develop sustainably.

For durian trees to develop sustainably, the relevant authorities need to create conditions for capable purchasing enterprises to cooperate with cooperatives to consume durian products in particular and fruit trees in general in the area. At the same time, they need to manage well and clearly distinguish the quality of products that have met standards and products that have not met standards to avoid pesticide residues in the products, affecting the health of consumers, and pay attention to supporting the construction of post-harvest preservation and processing facilities for cooperatives.

Durian of Long Phu Durian Cooperative, Phu Nghia Commune, Bu Gia Map District - Photo: Phu Quy

Firstly: Strongly restructure groups of industries, crops and livestock. Develop raw material areas, industry clusters, concentrated commodity production, ensuring improved efficiency. The goal of restructuring the agricultural sector is to enhance the competitive advantage of agricultural products in particular and the entire agricultural sector of Binh Phuoc province in general. Therefore, it is necessary to synchronously implement the following contents: from restructuring the use of resources, restructuring production technology, restructuring the form of production organization and especially restructuring production and business entities to increase efficiency and product quality, meet customer needs, ensure sustainable development... Focus on using intensive farming measures to increase productivity, including enhancing the renovation of cashew gardens; using fertilizers and pesticides sufficiently and correctly; increasing the use of new varieties and selected local varieties. Bringing economically efficient crops into intercropping under cashew canopy to improve economic efficiency (focusing on cocoa, ginger, kudzu...), developing livestock farming under canopy in suitable areas.

Second: Develop agriculture in the direction of production value chains; closely link production with preservation, processing, brand building, and consumption. Reorganize production in the direction of encouraging enterprises to invest in association with cooperatives and farmers in a closed chain from production to processing and consumption of products. Develop agricultural product markets. Encourage enterprises with large commodity production chains to participate in the production process, build raw material areas, purchase, process, and consume agricultural products. Take enterprises as the core, link with components in the value chain, link product consumption. Promote brand building, geographical indications, registration of protection rights and intellectual property rights of agricultural products.

Third: Developing agriculture associated with new rural construction; connecting rural areas with urban areas; closely linking agriculture with industry and services. Continuing to invest in developing, upgrading and modernizing agricultural and rural infrastructure. Implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Construction with increasingly improved quality and scale. Continuing to effectively implement the special mechanism in new rural construction, building about 500km of rural roads each year. Completing the construction and upgrading of important irrigation works and reservoirs to ensure water security for production and people's lives in the province. Developing concentrated residential areas associated with rural development in the direction of mechanization and modernization of agricultural production, gradually shifting from agricultural cultivation to agricultural economy to provide raw materials for urban areas and neighboring areas.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Tue Hien surveyed the project "Production, processing and trading of banana products" in Thien Hung commune, Bu Dop district - Photo: TL

The project "Production, processing and trading of banana products" invested by Binh Phuoc Rubber One Member Co., Ltd. is implemented in Thien Hung commune, Bu Dop district - Photo: TL

Fourth: Developing high-tech agriculture, clean agriculture, organic agriculture, developing livestock farming towards disease-free areas. Deploying science and technology programs to serve the development of high-tech agriculture, clean agriculture, organic agriculture based on economic efficiency; prioritizing the implementation of topics and projects with high applicability, practicality, suitable for farming processes and climate change adaptation to transfer to production such as: selecting varieties resistant to difficult conditions of drought and flooding; water-saving farming techniques, ecological solutions to prevent new diseases; microbial technologies for making organic fertilizers and treating waste in rural environments; precision technology and digital technology for smart agricultural production; quality management in the agricultural product value chain; benefit and risk sharing mechanism in linkages to ensure the participation of farmers in the value chain; digital agricultural extension; Effectively implement the national One Commune One Product (OCOP) program to create local agricultural tourism products that are unique to the locality and impress tourists; have specific policies and mechanisms, giving priority to agricultural tourism; implement training planning, training linkages, and standardize human resources for agricultural tourism models; strengthen communication and promotion of agricultural tourism products on mass media.

Applying science and technology to garden care of Binh Phuoc farmers - Photo: Tien Dung

Fifth: Promote and develop the role of production households, collective economic organizations, and enterprises in agricultural development. Promote the role of subjects in agricultural development, focusing on high-tech agriculture, including farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises. In which, it is necessary to promote the role of farmers as subjects in the market economy: it is necessary to change the thinking and awareness of farmers, transforming their awareness from agricultural production to agricultural economic thinking. Develop appropriate policies and mechanisms to encourage people and enterprises to invest capital for agricultural development, especially high-tech agriculture; support equipment for technological innovation and high-tech application; training courses, agricultural extension models applying science and technology; new varieties and some essential materials for high-tech agricultural production, clean agriculture, and organic agriculture; labels, packaging, OCOP product certification, growing area code, traceability, standard certification...

Content: Hong Cuc
Graphics, Technique: Kim Thoa - Xuan Duong

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/longform/82/phat-trien-nong-nghiep-gan-voi-quy-hoach-ben-vung