Turning towards a modern agriculture

In the economic integration process, many farmers in the province have developed production models in accordance with specific land conditions and provincial agricultural development orientations. The determination of farmers to change thoughts and practices to adapt to the trend has enriched themselves and heightened the added value of local agriculture.

Many effective models

Besides the development of high-tech agricultural areas, provincial authorities organized many training courses to transfer and develop models demonstrating and applying high technologies for farmers. Thereby, many models have been applied, replicated, and brought high profits. In the field of cultivation, the total area with high-tech applications of the province is about 2,091ha with valuable crops, such as vegetables, mushrooms, fruit, orchids, ornamental plants, greenhouse crops with automatic irrigation system, fruit trees with automatic spraying system…

Currently, the average production value per 1ha of high-tech agricultural land reaches over VND90 million; total area with high technology application is over 860ha. In addition, the transfer of advanced technologies has interested and promoted by provincial authorities to rove productivity and quality of crops. High-quality varieties are applied into almost main crops of the province. Thus, many profitable models have emerged in the province, such as Dendrobium orchids with an average yield of 33,000 bunches/ ha/year, 40,000 pots/ha/year, total revenue of VND2 billion/ha/year, an average profit of about VND600-700 million/ha/year. Model of citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, grapefruits), after 3-4 years of cultivation, obtains an average yield of 20-60 tons/ha and a profit of VND500-600 million/ha/year...

Based on survey and experiences gained from actual production, Ms. Vu Thi Hue living in An Binh Commune, Phu Giao District realized greenhouse models could bring high profits, so she borrowed a loan to cultivate melon in greenhouse. On an area of ​​2,000m2, her family invested VND500 million to build a greenhouse and 4,000 melon plants. Her first crop harvest yielded over 5 tons with an average price of VND25,000/kg and a profit of about VND100 million/crop.

To the livestock sector, the province has currently 80% chicken farms and nearly 40% pig farms with high-tech applications and obtaining higher profits than conventional farms. Currently, most farms use new breeds, centralized cold barn systems associated with building safety zones, automatic livestock equipment; therefore, reducing diseases, decreasing feed consumption, labor costs, increasing economic efficiency. Currently, chicken farms gain an average income of about VND300-400 million, pig farms about VND400-450 million.

To accelerate sectorial restructure

In the 2016-2020 period, provincial agricultural sector has implemented the overall objective under provincial Party Resolution (2015-2020 tenure), namely: developing modern urban agriculture, high added value, scientific and technological applications, transformation of production models associated with consumption market, development of processing industry and new rural construction. Accordingly, the province strives to increase the added value of agriculture - forestry and fishery by averagely 2.2%/year; production value by about VND80-100 million/ha/year in 2020, high-tech agricultural value by VND150-200 million/ha/year.

Provincial agricultural sector set a target of boosting sectorial restructuring, plant and animal restructuring, high-tech application to improve productivity and efficiency. Accordingly, regarding cultivation field, the province will develop specialty orchards along Dong Nai and Saigon River associated with ecotourism; orchards in northern district of the province will be combined with the processing industry. Regarding livestock sector, the province will enhance high-tech animal husbandry, disease safety and environmental protection. In addition, the province promulgated policies to encourage agricultural development towards urban agriculture - high-tech agriculture in the 2016- 2020, offer preferential lending interest rates to businesses, cooperatives, households, farm-holders, individuals, centers, institutes, schools... conducting scientific research, technology transfer.

Mr. Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said to perform agricultural economic development tasks in the coming time, the sector would continue to implement the scheme of agricultural restructure towards higher added value and sustainable development, policies facilitating agricultural development towards urban agriculture – high-tech agriculture in the 2016-2020 period. The sector will also gradually plan for agricultural production in the province to meet the needs of domestic market and export...

Reported by Q.Nhien – Translated by Ngoc Huynh