Taking the word "trust" as the root to maintain output for rice grains
In Dai Ngai commune (Can Tho City), formerly Long Duc commune, Long Phu district, Soc Trang province, rice production is affected by saltwater intrusion, so farmers can only cultivate 2 crops/year. Before Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative was established, rice consumption faced many difficulties, farmers depended on traders.
Mr. Huynh Van Chin - a cooperative member - said that in the past, people produced fragmentedly, traders decided the price. Since joining the cooperative, the output has become more stable, and the entire area is produced according to high-quality, low-emission rice processes. The cooperative leadership proactively links with businesses, so cooperative members are assured to produce.
According to Mr. Truong Van Hung - Director of Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative, in the past 5 years, the Cooperative has signed linkage contracts for more than 1,600ha of rice, with an output of over 11,000 tons. From 2020 to now, the Cooperative has maintained linkage to consume ST25 rice with Ong Tho Rice Joint Stock Company on an area of about 120ha/year. Businesses close prices 7 - 10 days before harvest and purchase 200 - 300 VND/kg higher than the market.
Even at times when traders offer higher prices, cooperative members still agree to sell to businesses according to the contract. Thanks to the harmonious coordination between farmers - cooperatives - businesses, the situation of "breaking deals" has never happened. We do not break links for immediate profit, because it will be very difficult to do business for a long time," Mr. Hung shared.
Similarly, at Tin Phat Agricultural Cooperative (Ke Sach commune, Can Tho city), rice production has escaped the scene of "betting" with the market. Right from the beginning of the crop, the cooperative organized cooperative members to produce the same variety, same technical process and signed consumption contracts. The cooperative currently has 320 members, cultivated area of about 520ha, output of over 2,000 tons/year. Average yield reaches 7 - 7.5 tons/ha/crop, profit of about 40 - 45 million VND/ha/year. Each year, the cooperative signs consumption contracts for more than 2,000 tons of rice, the purchase price is about 200 VND/kg higher than the market.
Mr. Nguyen Van Dam, Director of the Cooperative, said that the Cooperative always thoroughly grasps that cooperative members take the word "trust" as the root. When rice prices increase, businesses share profits; when prices decrease, the parties share difficulties to maintain sustainable links.
High-quality rice helps farmers "win big
In addition to production linkage and output consumption, the selection of 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 certified ST24 and ST25 rice varieties. According to the Director of Hua Thanh Nghia Cooperative, the enterprise consumes all products, pays immediately on the same day; rice that does not meet the standard varieties is still purchased for rice milling or plating. With an investment cost of about 3 million VND/cong, yield reaches 6 - 6.3 tons/ha, average profit is 50 - 55 million VND/ha/crop.
Similarly, at 30/4 Cooperative Group (Ho Dac Kien commune, Can Tho city), the Cooperative Group organized for commune members to produce ST25 rice under contract right from the beginning of the crop, unified from variety, technique to harvest.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, to date, the whole city has 642 agricultural cooperatives with 20,813 members. Cooperatives actively provide support services such as irrigation pumping, sowing, drone spraying, harvesting, seed supply...
