Not only achieving an average yield of over 7 tons/ha, farmers are also purchased by businesses at the fields at a price of 9,000 VND/kg, a high and stable price compared to the general level.
According to local farmers, favorable weather, guaranteed water sources, and well-controlled pests and diseases are factors that help productivity reach an evenly high level.
Mr. Hua Thanh Nghia - Director of Nghia Thang Agricultural Cooperative - said that the cooperative currently has more than 100ha specializing in producing certified ST24 and ST25 varieties. Right from the beginning of the season, people sow seeds centrally, sow carpet seedlings, transplant simultaneously, apply a farming process that reduces chemical pesticides, and increases biological measures.
Thanks to strict technical compliance, the average yield reaches over 7 tons/ha. With a price of 9,000 VND/kg, after deducting costs, the profit reaches about 30 million VND/ha. On average, 2 crops/year, farmers can make a profit of 50-60 million VND/ha; good production households reach 65-70 million VND/ha," Mr. Nghia informed.
Having just harvested 4,500m2 of ST25 rice, Mr. Trung Ky Huon (My Xuyen ward) said that this is the highest-yield crop in nearly 10 years that his family has been associated with this rice variety. "In the same area, in previous years, the average was about 52-53 bags of rice, this year it has reached 78 bags, calculated to be more than 3 tons. The price of 9,000 VND/kg is profitable, everyone is happy," Mr. Huon shared.
According to the leader of Nghia Thang Cooperative, for decades, rice farmers have been assured of production thanks to the production and consumption linkage model closely linked with businesses. Rice is purchased directly in the field, transported immediately after harvesting. In parallel, synchronous mechanization contributes to sharply reducing costs. The Cooperative currently has more than 20 transplanters; the stages of tilling the soil, pumping water, and harvesting are all mechanized. In particular, 5 pesticide spraying devices help reduce costs from about 500,000 VND/ha to 180,000 VND/ha, while limiting workers' exposure to chemicals.
Mr. Nghia said that since 2004, when ST rice lines were still unfamiliar to the market, farmers here boldly introduced new varieties into production, accompanying engineer Ho Quang Cua. "We both worked and learned from experience, adjusting each crop season, water source, and care techniques to suit," he recalled.
From a few households participating initially, to date, more than 3/4 of the rice area in Dai Tam has switched to cultivating ST varieties, mainly ST24 and ST25. At times, the combined seed production area exceeded 500ha, supplying more than 3,000 tons of rice seeds per year.
According to Mr. Nghia, rice seed production requires higher meticulousness than commercial rice. Fields must be clean, not mixed; the growth process must be regularly de-mixed to ensure pureness. Over 20 years, the linkage model has formed a closed production chain, from tilling, sowing, care to harvesting and delivering rice to factories.
