Why was Cho Vam Cooperative in An Giang voted as a typical national cooperative in 2024?

As one of the cooperatives with a large number of members, with 316 members, operating with 5 services, Cho Vam Cooperative (Phu Tan district, An Giang province) has supported farmers to overcome difficulties and reduce costs in production, increase profits, and create jobs for idle workers in the locality.

From that achievement, recently Cho Vam Cooperative was honored to be voted by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union as a typical national cooperative in 2024.

Gather farmers to participate in cooperative economy

Mr. Hua Hoang Viet, Deputy Director of Cho Vam Cooperative, said that Cho Vam Cooperative was established in 2002, with 97 members, with the main service activity being pumping water for rice irrigation. The main function and task of the Cooperative is to gather and support farmers to overcome difficulties and reduce production costs, increase profits for members and farmers, and create jobs for idle workers in the locality. At the same time, create favorable conditions for farmers and rural workers to have stable incomes; contribute to building new rural areas with the locality. Act as a focal point for propaganda and mobilizing farmers to actively participate in the collective economy, and develop the local socio-economy sustainably.

Mr. Hua Hoang Viet (left cover) and members of the Board of Directors of Cho Vam Cooperative discussed the cooperative's operations in the first 9 months of 2024. Photo: HC

After 12 years of operation, the cooperative has attracted 316 members, with a charter capital of 1.2 billion VND, operating with 5 main services, including: Irrigation and drainage pumping, mechanical dredging, internal credit, linking product consumption and domestic water supply services.

"When the cooperative was first established, it encountered many difficulties. People did not believe in the cooperative's activities, so they participated just for the sake of it. But with the enthusiasm of the management board, every year they developed a detailed plan to deploy to members and closely followed the plan to deploy activities. From there, the cooperative gradually began to operate systematically and effectively. Through that, these members trusted more and introduced new members to join.

Currently, Cho Vam Cooperative has 10 pumping stations, 15 pumps, 1 hoe, serving irrigation of 1,216 hectares of rice... the total revenue in 2023 of the Cooperative will reach nearly 4.4 billion VND, with a profit of nearly 500 million VND" - Mr. Hua Hoang Viet shared.

According to Mr. Hua Hoang Viet, the outstanding activity of the cooperative is the irrigation pumping service. Thanks to the irrigation pumping service, every year the members plant and harvest on schedule, achieving 100% of the plan set by the District People's Committee, the average yield is 6 - 6.5 tons/ha, the after-tax profit from this service is over 380 million VND.

Every year, the cooperative informs members about its operational plan so that they can follow and implement it. Photo: HC

As for the product consumption linkage service of the cooperative, it has helped to concentrate production, improve the quality of agricultural products, meet the needs of the domestic and export markets, help members and farmers increase income, help farmers worry less about the refrain "good harvest, low price and good price, bad harvest". The cooperative has proactively invited businesses to link up to consume both input supply and output consumption. In 2023, the cooperative signed a contract to link up the production of IR4625 variety with Loc Troi Group, resulting in a linked area of ​​450 hectares with a total output of 2,520 tons, reaching 78% of the plan.

More and more trusted by members and farmers

In particular, taking advantage of the idle money of the cooperative, the cooperative has provided internal credit services, with the aim of supporting capital for farmer members to invest in production, without having to borrow from outside. Currently, the internal credit service is operating stably, with an amount of 230 million VND. This activity has brought economic efficiency, helping members who lack capital to invest in production, stabilize their lives. Up to now, the cooperative has supported and helped 12 members escape poverty, rise up to stabilize their lives.

Mr. Nguyen Van Vang, a member of the cooperative, used to be a poor household with a certificate, no land for production, was supported by the cooperative with credit capital, initially he rented 5 hectares of land to produce sticky rice, then gradually until now he has cultivated 6 hectares, each crop he earns from 120-150 million VND.

Thanks to the irrigation pumping service, every year members plant and harvest on schedule. Photo: HC

Mr. Nguyen Van Vang shared: "Thanks to the support of Cho Vam Cooperative, my family has gone from being a poor household with a certificate to now escaping poverty and stabilizing our lives. In addition to receiving capital support, when joining the Cooperative, I can use all the services of the Cooperative, so production costs are significantly reduced, and my family's annual output is also assured because the Cooperative is associated with the output purchase."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Duoc, a member of the cooperative with the largest production area, said: Her family has 8 hectares of sticky rice land, growing 2 crops per year. Although the area is not too large, most people in Phu Tan produce sticky rice, so in the past, when the crop was good, the price was low, and traders broke the contract and did not buy. But since joining the cooperative, the cooperative has linked with the output, so my family is very secure. In addition, my family uses the cooperative's services at low costs, so every year the profit is much better than before. In particular, as a member with capital contribution, I also receive annual profits from the cooperative."

Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc, Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of An Giang Province, commented: Cho Vam Cooperative is a cooperative promoted, mobilized, guided and established by the Farmers' Association. The cooperative has a management and operation apparatus that is always united and unanimous in its activities, always complies with and adheres to the Charter and regulations. From there, the cooperative's activities are increasingly effective, creating trust for its members and gathering a large number of farmers to participate. From there, the Farmers' Associations at all levels agreed to introduce Cho Vam Cooperative to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Association for consideration and voting to commend it as a typical cooperative nationwide in 2024.

Source: https://danviet.vn/vi-sao-htx-cho-vam-o-an-giang-duoc-binh-chon-la-htx-tieu-bieu-toan-quoc-nam-2024-2024102410035724.htm