FORMING MULTIPLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Over the past five years, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap province has guided, assessed, and issued certificates for 127 safe food supply chains.
These supply chains focus on key product groups such as rice, vegetables, fruits, and seafood. All are closely monitored regarding production processes, food safety, and market access conditions.
Of these, 45 out of 127 chains apply advanced standards such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP, HACCP, ISO, etc., demonstrating a strong transformation of production facilities in improving quality and meeting the consumption requirements of large urban areas.
Notably, over 50% of the supply chains have established direct trade with Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to bringing the province's safe agricultural products into a wider distribution system.
To support traceability and build consumer confidence, the province has issued 200,000 traceability labels to 7 exemplary production and business establishments in safe food supply chains whose products are distributed in Ho Chi Minh City.
Traceability labels with QR codes help to ensure transparency of information, allowing buyers to easily check the origin and production process of agricultural products from Dong Thap , thereby enhancing the reputation and brand of safe agricultural products of the province.
Dong Thap is a key agricultural province in the Mekong Delta region, ranking third nationwide in rice production with approximately 3.3 - 4.1 million tons per year. By 2025, the cultivated area is estimated to reach 622,636 hectares, with a total production of about 4.1 million tons (including 5,588 hectares meeting VietGAP standards); fruit trees will cover 134,000 hectares, with a production of 2.5 million tons…
By 2025, Dong Thap province will have 1,002 OCOP products rated 3 stars or higher, including: 799 3-star products, 199 4-star products, and 4 5-star products at the national level.
Currently, most of the province's OCOP products are distributed on e-commerce platforms and modern retail channels, making it easier for consumers in Ho Chi Minh City to access safe local products.
STRICT QUALITY CONTROL
Over the past period, key products, specialties, and OCOP products from Dong Thap have been widely introduced to consumers in Ho Chi Minh City through various channels.
Businesses and cooperatives in the province are actively applying e-commerce, while also participating in trade fairs, conferences, and supply-demand connection programs organized annually by Ho Chi Minh City.
According to preliminary statistics, many agricultural and aquatic product establishments and businesses in the province are regularly supplying Ho Chi Minh City with a diverse range of products such as rice, seasonal fruits, vegetables, fresh seafood (catfish, tilapia, frogs, eels, prawns, etc.) and livestock products.
These products are distributed through wholesale markets in Binh Dien, Thu Duc, and Hoc Mon; into supermarket chains such as Co.opmart, Big C, GO!, Bach Hoa Xanh, MM Mega Market… and supplied to many collective kitchens, schools, hospitals, and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to expanding the market share of Dong Thap's agricultural products.
Several key supply chains have been established, including: rice from Kim Sang Group's Rice Branch (500-1,000 tons/year); vegetables from Hoa Thanh, Tan Dong, Binh Nghi, and Tan Tay cooperatives (500-1,000 tons/year/cooperative); fruits from Duong Thanh An, Hanh Nhi, Kieu Linh, and MB Dang Danh Agricultural Products enterprises (400-1,000 tons/year); seafood from Saigon Seafood Trading Joint Stock Company (over 600 tons/year); VietGAP whiteleg shrimp from Tuan Hien Aquaculture Company (over 20 tons/year); and poultry eggs from Nam Huong and DTG Tien Giang enterprises (over 150 million eggs/year).
The province also coordinated the introduction of businesses and catfish farming households to establish consumption links with Saigon Co.op, and connected vegetable cooperatives to the MM Mega Market chain.
In addition, many processed products such as jams, dried fruits, dried fish, sausages, packaged agricultural products, etc., along with small-scale farming and collection facilities, still regularly trade with Ho Chi Minh City through wholesale markets and e-commerce.
Vinh Kim Cooperative (Vinh Kim commune) specializes in trading safe and hygienic fruits from the Mekong Delta, meeting VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards.
Through its development, the cooperative has become a trusted address for many consumers and is one of the 10 businesses awarded for its positive contributions to the development of a safe food supply chain and trade with Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of the Cooperative, participating in the supply chain has standardized the production process, creating favorable conditions for the cooperative's goods to enter supermarkets, high-quality distribution channels, and for export.
With VietGAP traceability QR codes, customers can check each stage in the production process. This allows the company to easily identify the faulty step when problems arise, enabling more accurate and timely corrective action.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son also stated that, alongside the advantages, there are still quite a few difficulties.
Many farmers often forget to keep production logs; some keep them complete, but others overlook things. Therefore, the cooperative has to provide hands-on guidance, instructing them step by step.
However, it is inevitable that farmers will still make mistakes in the process; in particular, many households have not yet met the requirements for standards such as VietGAP. "It is essential for agencies and departments to strengthen propaganda and guidance for farmers on producing agricultural products that ensure food safety and hygiene."
"With the right and sufficient support, farmers will follow the correct procedures, produce quality products, expand their markets, and recruit more members to join the cooperative," Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son shared.
According to Tran Thi Be Bay, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap province, the quality control and food safety work is always given special attention by the industry, considering it a decisive factor in maintaining the reputation of the province's agricultural products in the Ho Chi Minh City market.
Every year, the Department directs specialized units to collect agricultural product samples for testing for pesticide residues, banned substances, quality indicators, etc.
During the period 2021-2025, the province collected 2,606 samples of vegetables, fruits, rice, seafood, and processed products for testing; approximately 4.7% of the samples failed and were promptly dealt with.
Specifically for goods consumed in Ho Chi Minh City, 94 out of 95 samples met safety standards. This result shows that quality control at the source is strictly maintained, helping Dong Thap agricultural products consistently meet the requirements of a large market like Ho Chi Minh City.
The achievements over the past period have created a solid foundation for Dong Thap to expand its supply chains, aiming for a safe, stable, and long-term supply of agricultural products to Ho Chi Minh City.
THIEN LY
(to be continued)
Source: https://baodongthap.vn/bai-1-hoan-thien-chuoi-cung-ung-a233901.html
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