(HBO) – To carry out a scheme on restructuring the agriculture and rural development sector, Lac Thuy district in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh is stepping up production in value chain, with safe vegetable cultivation as its top priority.
Farmers in Co Nghia commune, Lac Thuy district, grow safe
vegetables with high economic value
Since
2016, several safe vegetable farming areas have been established in communes
and towns in Lac Thuy district. With cooperatives and cooperative groups as a key
force, the district has grown 10 ha of safe vegetables, including 2.5 ha in Lac
Long commune, 3.5 ha in An Lac commune, 4 ha in Co Nghia commune. Training,
technical guidance and close supervision in fields have helped farmers access
safe growing techniques. Almost vegetables and fruits meet consumers’ demand
such as cabbage, pea, squash, pumpkin, tomato, amaranth, among others. After ensuring
supply, the district inaugurated a safe agricultural product shop in Chi Ne
town where vegetables, fruits, chicken eggs, fowl and cattle meat are available
to make it easier for consumers to buy safe products of clear origin.
Hoang
Dinh Chinh, deputy head of the district’s Division of Agriculture and Rural
Development, said successful cultivation models in 2016 have promoted
production in a value chain. This year, apart from maintaining vegetable
growing chain, the district signed a contract with the Vietnam Chilli Company
to grow 5 ha in An Lac commune. Another contract was inked with the North Green
joint Stock Company to plant 3.6 ha of chilli in Chi Ne town, 5 ha in Lac Long
commune, 6.5 ha in Hung Thi commune and 0.7 ha in Khoan Du commune. At the
price of 5,500 VND per kilogramme, these businesses committed to buying all
products from farmers. In particular, when market prices go up, they pledged to
buy them at 80 percent of the world prices. In return, farmers will sell all
products to the companies.
The chilli
production value chain attracted 632 labourers from cooperatives and households
with a total investment of around 500 million VND. The district People’s
Committee offered technical training support and all seedlings, materials and
fertilisers in the first stage. Farmers invested in organic fertilisers and
manual jobs. The chain started by opening a training course on safe vegetable
farming. The first crop is scheduled for growing in November 2017 and harvesting
in the next 60 days. With an output of 1-1.2 tonnes per 360 sq.m, each ha of
chilli earns more than 160 million VND. When costs are excluded, farmers earn
at least 120 million VND in profit.
By 2020,
the district strives to grow 150-200 ha of safe vegetables./.
Dao Village’s honey – a product certified with a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating by Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative in Dao Village (Hoa Binh City) – is highly regarded by consumers for its quality, richness, and variety in packaging. The distinctively sweet taste of Dao Village’s honey leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
In alignment with Project No. 07-DA/TU, issued by the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee on November 1, 2021, Lac Thuy district has actively promoted investment and supported the sustainable development of its industrial and handicraft sectors during the 2021–2025 period. Alongside this, the district has remained committed to preserving and revitalising traditional craft villages.
Located in the northern part of Lac Thuy district, with a temperate climate and fertile soil, Phu Thanh commune has great potential and advantages in growing tea. The long-standing experience, combined with strict adherence to organic farming practices in the tea gardens, ensures that the dried tea products from Phu Thanh and Lac Thuy as a whole are sold out immediately upon production, providing a stable and prosperous life for the local people.
Amid efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus, Hoa Binh province has intensified measures to address challenges in land clearance, resettlement support, and infrastructure investment, aiming to speed up the progress of key projects.
Hoa Binh province has posted an unprecedented economic growth rate of 12.76% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its highest quarterly performance to date and positioning it as the second fastest-growing locality in the country, trailing only Bac Giang province.
Under current regulations, products in the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme that are rated three stars or higher must undergo re-evaluation every three months. However, in reality, some of these products fail to consistently meet the required standards, raising concerns about the sustainability of their OCOP certification. This underscores the urgent need for producers to enhance product quality and gradually develop their OCOP products into strong, marketable brands.
