Reduce costs, increase profits
The project to sustainably develop 1 million hectares of high-quality rice cultivation, reduce emissions associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030 is being implemented in 12 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta. Before widespread implementation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has piloted 7 models in 5 localities including Can Tho City, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and Dong Thap.
In Soc Trang province, the model covers an area of 50 hectares at Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative, Long Duc commune, Long Phu district.
Mr. Truong Van Hung - Director of Hung Loi Agricultural Cooperative - said that when participating in the model, farmers are supported 100% of the cost of sowing and 50% of the seeds and agricultural materials. The application of mechanization in the fields, sowing by machine has helped reduce 10kg/ha of seeds (60kg/ha) compared to farmers doing outside the model; reduce 4 times of spraying pesticides and reduce over 41% of nitrogen compared to outside the model. Total input costs are reduced by 10-15%. After deducting costs, the profit of the pilot model is 5.2 million VND higher than outside the model (up 12%).
According to Mr. Le Thanh Tung - Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the Summer-Autumn crop of 2024, 3 provinces and cities (Can Tho City, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang) have implemented 4 models with an area of 196 hectares. The estimated yield is 64.52 quintals/ha, higher than the average yield outside the model by 4.63 quintals/ha, the rice output with reduced emissions is 1,262 tons. The profit in the model is 12 - 20% higher than outside the model.
Mr. Mai Van Trinh - Director of the Institute of Agricultural Environment said that applying the emission-reducing rice cultivation process has contributed to reducing 29 - 41% of greenhouse gases.
Boldly expand the area
Mr. Tran Tan Phuong - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang province - said that the initial economic efficiency of the pilot model shows that reducing input materials does not affect rice productivity but also helps increase profits for farmers.
According to Mr. Tran Thai Nghiem - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Tho City, the locality will continue to strengthen coordination with relevant parties and seek support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and international organizations to replicate and develop the model in the area. In the immediate future, two models will be implemented in the Autumn-Winter and Winter-Spring crops with an area of 200 hectares.
Similarly, in the 2024 Autumn-Winter crop, Tra Vinh province will continue to plant 2 models after completing the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop harvest and Kien Giang will plant 1 Summer-Autumn crop model on 10.79ha of shrimp-rice land on September 15-25, 2024.
