Can Tho farmers link up to get rich
From the situation of " good harvest, bad price", many Can Tho farmers have risen to become sustainable rich when linking rice production through cooperatives and enterprises, using the word "credit" as the foundation to maintain output.
Using the word "credit" as the root to keep the output of the rice grains
In Dai Ngai commune (Can Tho city), formerly Long Duc commune, Long Phu district, Soc Trang province, rice production is affected by salinity intrusion, so farmers can only cultivate 2 crops/year. Before Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative was established, rice consumption encountered many difficulties, and farmers depended on traders.
Mr. Huynh Van Chin - a member of the Cooperative - said that in the past, people produced broken pieces, traders decided on prices. Since joining the cooperative, the output has been more stable, the entire area is produced according to a high-quality, low-emission rice process. The cooperative's leadership proactively cooperates with enterprises, so members are assured of production.
According to Mr. Truong Van Hung - Director of Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative, over the past 5 years, the cooperative has signed a cooperation contract for more than 1,600 hectares of rice, with an output of over 11,000 tons. From 2020 to present, the cooperative has maintained a link for ST25 rice consumption with Ong Tho Rice Joint Stock Company on an area of about 120 hectares/year. Enterprises set prices 7 - 10 days before harvest and purchased 200 - 300 VND/kg higher than the market.
"Although there are times when traders offer higher prices, members still agree to sell to businesses according to contracts. Thanks to the harmonious coordination between farmers - cooperatives - businesses, the situation of "breakage of the deal" has never happened. We do not break the link for immediate profits, because that will make it very difficult to do business in the long term," Mr. Hung shared.
Similarly, at Tin Phat Agricultural Cooperative (Ke Sach Commune, Can Tho City), rice production has escaped the situation of "betting" on the market. Right from the beginning of the crop, the cooperative organized the production of the same variety, with the same technical process and signed a sponsorship contract. The cooperative currently has 320 members, a cultivated area of about 520ha, and an output of over 2,000 tons/year. The average yield is 7 - 7.5 tons/ha/crop, with a profit of about 40 - 45 million VND/ha/year. Each year, the cooperative signs a contract to consume more than 2,000 tons of rice, with a purchase price about 200 VND/kg higher than the market.
Mr. Nguyen Van Dam, Director of the Cooperative, said that the Cooperative always thoroughly grasps the word "credit" as the root. When rice prices increase, businesses share profits; when prices decrease, all parties share difficulties to maintain sustainable connections.
High-quality rice helps farmers win big
In addition to linking production and cover output, selecting suitable rice varieties plays a key role in improving farming efficiency and income for farmers. Typically, at Nghia Thang Agricultural Cooperative (My Xuyen Ward, Can Tho City), formerly Dai Tam Commune, My Xuyen District, Soc Trang Province, farmers maintain close links with Ho Quang Enterprise to produce rice seeds certified for the ST24 and ST25 lines. According to the Director of Hua Thanh Nghia Cooperative, the enterprise guarantees all products and pays on the same day; rice that does not meet the seed standards is still purchased for rice cultivation or plaster making. With an investment cost of about 3 million VND/cong, the yield is 6 - 6.3 tons/ha, the average profit is 50 - 55 million VND/ha/crop.
Similarly, at the 30/4 Cooperative Group (Ho Dac Kien Commune, Can Tho City), the Cooperative Group organized for members of the ST25 rice production commune according to the contract right from the beginning of the crop, unifying from variety, techniques to harvest.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, up to now, the whole city has 642 agricultural cooperatives with 20,813 members. Cooperatives actively provide support services such as irrigation pumping, sowing, drone spraying, harvesting, supplying seeds, etc.
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