Economic efficiency from hi-tech application

The model of cooperatives in North Tan Uyen district has developed with many suitable forms. Many agricultural cooperatives have promoted the application of high technology (sci-tech) in the production process to improve productivity, quality and value of products.

Increasing effectiveness

As of now, Tan My Fruit Cooperative in Tan My commune has become a bright spot in terms of sci-tech application. Thanks to the right direction, dynamism, good technology, many products of the cooperative have achieved provincial OCOP certifications with high rankings. Particularly, its green-skin pomelo has reached 4-star ranking while pomelo with orange leaf and netted muskmelon have gained 3-start rankings. Regularly, the cooperative exports a large amount of fruits to Co.opmart supermarket. At favorable times, the cooperative's products are also exported to countries. Members’ turnover at the highest time was VND1billion-VND2 billion per month for large-scale gardens.

For agricultural cooperatives boldly applying sci-tech advancements into production, loan support is one of the important solutions. In picture: Production of citrus fruits of a member household of Hung Thuan Cooperative in Tan Dinh commune

“The cooperative has invested in production processes under VietGAP standards to improve products’ quality and value, protect consumers' health; applied automatic irrigation systems, processes to make goods, and pack products to reduce labor costs. For netted musk melons, they are grown on coir substrates, organic fertilizer with irrigation water from spring water, so their taste is very delicious and sweet”.

Nhan Duc Cooperative in Hieu Liem commune is a bright spot in sci-tech application in animal husbandry and cultivation. The cooperative has spent tens of billions of dong on building a system of 3 air-conditioned chicken farms. At a time when the market is stable, the cooperative earns VND 300 million per month. The cooperative has signed a long-term contract with CJ VINA Co., Ltd, with a total value of more than VND 9 billion per year. In the field of cultivation, the cooperative has invested in planting 58 hectares of citrus fruit trees such as pomelo, orange, tangerine…, reaching over VND12 billion per year.

It can be seen that district-based cooperatives with prestige and brand names in the market have boldly applied technology in production. In addition to the two cooperatives mentioned above, there are cooperatives, namely Nam Hang in Lac An commune, Hung Thuan, Dan Tien in Tan Dinh commune, Dong Thuan Phat in Thuong Tan commune, Muoi Thuy... Besides raising the quality of products under OCOP standards, the local cooperatives have paid attention to product designs. This is a factor for them to link up with businesses consuming products, contributing to increasing income for members, promoting the local agricultural production.

Accompanying

Practice proves that science and technology is the key to helping cooperatives reduce labor costs and improve products ‘quality on the same area. Cooperatives with sci-tech application have produced a large number of high-quality goods with competitiveness, thereby bringing a great source of revenue.

Currently, the whole district has 16 cooperatives operating in agriculture. The biggest difficulty for cooperatives with high-tech application is the lack of capital, land fund and qualified laborers. Nguyen Huynh Thanh, Deputy Director of Hung Thuan Cooperative in Tan Dinh commune said: “For high-tech application into production in a synchronous way, cooperatives need great capital. They want to be created favorable conditions to access capital for investment in production and business”.

According to Nguyen Van Thuan, Vice- Chairman of North Tan Uyen district’s People's Committee, the province has many preferential capital sources, namely capital from provincial Investment and Development Fund, Science and Technology Development Fund, the Collective Economic Development Fund of provincial Cooperative Union, commercial banks in the district... to encourage cooperatives with hi-tech application. To access capital, businesses and cooperatives need to develop appropriate plans. Every year, the district's agricultural sector also dredged canals and ditches, ensuring irrigation for agricultural production while coordinating with relevant departments and sectors to open training courses on sci-tech application, improving farmers’ production level.

Reported by Hanh Nhi-Phuong Thanh-Translated by Kim Tin