“Following a year dedicated to comprehensively applying strategies aimed at restructuring the agricultural sector with an outlook towards 2030, Binh Phuoc’s agricultural industry has ascended to a leading position in terms of added value within the country, making a significant contribution to economic growth. The province’s average GRDP per capita in 2023 will reach 93.94 million VND, an increase of 11% compared to 2022. This result is not for the agricultural sector alone but for the entire political system from central to local levels; especially the consensus and synergy of the people in implementing the guidelines and policies of the Party and the State” – Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Pham Thuy Luan, affirmed.
Photo: Viet Bang
Redirection of farms and orchards
Reaching out to pluck a bunch of ripe figs from the tree, Ha Bich Quyen, CEO of Viet Ha Organic Agriculture Co., Ltd., gave it to visitors to enjoy right in the garden. Seeing the customer hesitate, Quyen continued: “You just try it; I’ll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong.”. “Really?” – asked the guest. “You just try it,” – Quyen replied. “Wow! Figs have such a sweet taste,” – guests admired after enjoying during the tour at Viet Ha Farm.
Representatives of the Hon Quan District People’s Committee and the Binh Phuoc Provincial Cooperative Alliance recently visited the Viet Ha organic farm located in Hamlet 2, An Khuong commune, Hon Quan district
Established in 2017, the farm spans 5 hectares of agricultural land and cultivates 20 types of leafy vegetables and tropical fruit trees by world organic standards.
The farm has been utilizing composted vegetables, tubers, and fruits as a fertilizer source for the garden over the past seven years. Additionally, the farm employs biological products and natural enemies available to manage pests and diseases, as well as mulches with straw instead of tarpaulin to treat weeds. These eco-friendly practices have earned the farm the distinction of being the first facility in the field of agricultural production in Binh Phuoc province to receive certification from the Australian National Sustainable Agriculture Association (NASAA) for meeting international organic standards in May 2021.
Viet Ha Farm supplies 100% of its products to the Ho Chi Minh City supermarket system, including Lotte, Winmart, Co.op Finelife, Kingfood Market, and high-quality food stores such as Ajuma Garden and Organicfood.vn. Depending on the type, the farm’s leafy vegetables command a higher price average of between 60,000 and 70,000 VND/kg and between 160,000 and 170,000 VND/kg, depending on the spices, when brought to the supermarket.
Overall, the farm’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture practices and the certification from the NASAA showcase its dedication to providing high-quality organic produce to the market, which is commendable.
Visitors enjoy fruits cared for according to European organic standards at Viet Ha farm in An Khuong commune, Hon Quan district
| Binh Phuoc province currently has 48 area codes for growing key crops, with a total area of nearly 4,000 hectares, including 38 for durian growing. It is expected that in early 2024, 33 new codes will be issued, bringing the total number of durian growing areas in the province to 71 codes, with a total area of more than 2,210 hectares. In 2023, Binh Phuoc province will recognize 27 new OCOP products, bringing the total number to 125 OCOP products between 3 to 5 stars. |
After completing his military service, Vo Ngoc Que returned to civilian life and took up farming on over 7 hectares of land dedicated to pepper cultivation, located in the border area of Bu Tam hamlet, Hung Phuoc commune, Bu Dop district, Binh Phuoc province. He made a significant shift towards organic farming practices for the sake of community health, a change that resulted in a decrease in yield from 25 to 15 tons. It took Vo Ngoc Que five years to achieve European organic certification for 4 hectares of his pepper farm. The initial three years of transitioning to organic farming were particularly challenging due to the issue of “bottom drying” affecting the pepper plants. Nevertheless, perseverance paid off, and the adage that the land does not fail those who have merit. In the last two years, his farm’s produce consistently exceeded over 900 European organic standards for pepper. As a result, his organic pepper commands a price that is 50% higher than conventional market rates. Remarkably, in 2023, his family’s pepper was recognized as a 4-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) product, marking it as the first and only OCOP pepper product in Binh Phuoc province to meet international organic standards. This distinction has elevated it to one of the hallmark agricultural products of the Bu Dop district, highly regarded as a distinguished gift.
Being recognized as a 4-star OCOP product has helped farmer Vo Ngoc Que’s organic pepper, certified according to European standards, increase its value by 50%, and the consumer market is increasingly expanding
Bu Dop District Agricultural Service Center transfers innovative irrigation application models with soil moisture sensors to people in the border area of Bu Dop district
The ultimate goal of organic agriculture is not to raise product prices but to eliminate farming methods that harm soil, water, air, animals, plants, microorganisms, and human health. The final result of organic agriculture is a peaceful, diverse, complementary nature, and people from generation to generation can enjoy symbiosis with the good values that nature gives us. It is a source of quality food and a healthy living environment for the health of all species, including humans. Companies, businesses in the agricultural sector, and farmers in remote and border areas of Binh Phuoc are on their way to that destination.
Thanh Phuong Agricultural, Production, Trade, and Service Cooperative workers check the quality of cut orchids invested in according to the production and consumption chain link model
“Each organic agricultural product, each OCOP product is a story, a cultural beauty that speaks of the unique value of each locality and village where it was born,” said the CEO of TDL Solutions Company Thai Dung Linh (Ho Chi Minh City).
The opening way song
In 2023, Binh Phuoc’s agricultural sector implemented a series of programs and projects, gradually realizing the targets set by the Resolution of the 11th Provincial Party Congress, especially digital transformation programs and projects in high-tech agriculture toward restructuring the agricultural industry. Implementing the project to restructure the farm sector for 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030, has helped the crop area in the province develop in the right direction according to planning. Not only that, but the project also allows people to convert from production thinking to economic thinking and from individual to collective production models. The participation of technical staff across the industry, from province to district, has helped people raise awareness of the digital transformation of agriculture. From there, the transformation of the growth model will be promoted in-depth, improving productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness in the market.
The agricultural sector actively supports people in building planting area codes and packaging facilities, helping the durian and banana industry chain to grow the highest in 2023 compared to other crops at 19.2%
Implementing the agricultural restructuring project has helped the value of livestock production in 2023 reached a growth rate of 25.4%, contributing to increasing the value of farming, forestry, and fishery production by 10.25% over the same period in 2022. Binh Phuoc’s agricultural industry is leading the provinces and cities nationwide with this growth rate. This milestone is also the record position of Binh Phuoc’s agricultural sector after 27 years of re-establishing the province, contributing to bringing 80/86 communes to the new rural destination. “The outstanding growth of the agricultural sector in 2023 comes from the inheritance and resonance of the province’s guidelines and policies as well as the implementation solutions of the entire political system from the province to the grassroots for many years.” – Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Pham Thuy Luan, commented.
Banana products in Thien Hung commune, Bu Dop district, are invested in and cared for using modern automatic technology lines from the garden to the processing factory for export to the Japanese market
Speaking at the 12th session of the Provincial People’s Council at the end of 2023, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Nguyen Manh Cuong, said that the outstanding growth value of Binh Phuoc’s agricultural industry is an honorable achievement. Even the second-ranked province in the country only grew by more than 6%. The best thing about that growth is that crops with high economic value, such as durian, bananas, and melons, etc., are being developed by people in the right direction according to the project to restructure the agricultural sector for 2021-2025, oriented to 2030. This endeavor shows that the people highly respond to the province’s guidelines and policies.
In 2024, Binh Phuoc’s agriculture and rural development sector strives to complete the overall goal for the entire period 2021-2025, which is to develop high-tech agriculture and organic agriculture, increase added value, and adapt to climate change response and international integration. Strive to bring five communes to new rural areas, increasing the rate of communes meeting new rural standards in the province to 100% before the end of the 2020-2025 term.
Farmer Nguyen Duy Hoan, Director of Tien Thinh Fruit Cooperative (Phuoc Tan commune, Phu Rieng district, Binh Phuoc province), invented his spraying machine for durian trees
Fueled by the industry’s resolve and the meticulous guidance and oversight from leaders at all levels, there is a justified optimism that in 2024, the agricultural sector of Binh Phuoc will achieve its outlined programs and objectives. This progress is anticipated to contribute significantly towards the realization of sustainable farming practices, the development of modern rural communities, and the advancement of knowledgeable farmers, all of which are in alignment with the strategic direction set forth by Resolution No. 19 of the Party Central Committee.
Translated by Hong Van – Minho
Binh Phuoc News – https://en.baobinhphuoc.com.vn/
