Enhancing agricultural sector through green production
Provincial agricultural sector is actively promoting the application of high technology to produce green, high-quality agricultural products that ensure health safety and meet consumers’increasing demands.
Adapting to change
In recent years, within its agricultural development strategy, Binh Duong province has prioritized green agriculture and clean agricultural products. Many farms, cooperatives and farming households have gradually changed their farming methods, returning to traditional practices such as composting green manure, making crop rotation and utilizing livestock by-products to produce organic and bio-fertilizers. These practices eliminate artificial inputs and integrate modern technology to create fertile soil, forming up a closed organic agriculture system. As a result, clean agricultural products are produced that meet high safety and quality standards, catering to consumer demands.
Chau Van Loi, a farmer in Phu Giao district’s Phuoc Hoa commune shared that organic agricultural production has generated significant values and ensured safety for both consumers and producers. Initially, he cultivated 2 hectares of grapefruit using organic methods and then expanded to 5 hectares after seeing positive results. His grapefruit orchard now yields clear economic benefits, with an average annual revenue of VND 500 million. As one of the experienced farmers in growing citrus fruits and applying various clean agricultural production standards, Doan Minh Chien, the owner of the Doan Minh Chien general farm in North Tan Uyen district has applied organic agricultural production. Mr. Chien shared that in his efforts to innovate agricultural production, he has applied organic farming standards to his orange and pomelo orchards. Compared to other clean farming standards, organic agriculture requires more meticulous cultivation methods and stricter compliance. His farm is also applying new technologies in organic production.
Vinamit Joint Stock Company is a pioneering enterprise in investing in large-scale organic farming in Vietnam. The company is home to more than 150 hectares of farmland, cultivating over 50 plant varieties and has so far obtained organic farming and produce certifications under USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Organic and EU Organic standards. Nguyen Thanh Hoang, Director of Vinamit explained that organic fertilizer products are similar to NPK ones, but are derived from biological substances rather than chemicals. Organic farming requires long-term and costly investment, but it ensures quality and consumer health safety.
Necessary direction
Binh Duong is prioritizing the development of green agriculture in areas with gray soil, which are mainly located in Dau Tieng district, Ben Cat city, Thuan An city and Thu Dau Mot city. The province is expanding efforts in “golden” soil regions, primarily North Tan Uyen district, Phu Giao district and Tan Uyen city under the application of high-tech agricultural practices. Currently, Binh Duong has around 6,200 hectares of land under high-tech cultivation, approximately 180 hectares of urban agriculture and 700 hectares dedicated to organic farming.
According to provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, most farms and cooperatives in the province are increasingly prioritizing organic production, meeting safety standards for agricultural products. Organic fertilizer products are a top alternative to replace chemical fertilizer products, offering higher efficiency and being environmentally friendly. Bio-organic fertilizer products contain beneficial microorganisms that improve soil texture, retain moisture and prevent soil degradation. They also provide almost complete nutrients and enhance plant immunity, increasing yields by approximately 20% compared to chemical fertilizer products.
Pham Van Bong, Director of provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment stated that the province has expanded organic agricultural production. This is because organic agricultural production was in line with the policy of restructuring the agricultural sector towards higher added value, sustainable development and environmental friendliness towards export, helping to position and elevate the brand of Binh Duong’s agricultural products in particular and Vietnam’s agriculture in general on the global agricultural map. To achieve this, Binh Duong has developed specialized cultivation zones focusing on quality, efficiency and competitiveness through sustainable value chain linkages, geographical indication, traceability, technological applications, good agricultural practices, biodiversity and organic or equivalent standards. These ensure compliance with food safety and environmental protection standards.
In the coming time, the agricultural sector of Binh Duong province will continue restructuring the sector in association with new-style rural construction; prioritize agricultural development with clean, environmentally friendly products, organic agriculture, high productivity, high value, export potential, suitable for climate change and ecological environment. The sector will also promote production under standards, domestic market requirements and export orientation.
Reported by Thoai Phuong-Translated by Kim Tin
