Can Tho hopes Japan will cooperate in developing the green rice value chain.

Can Tho City leaders are committed to creating a favorable environment to attract technology and resources from Japan to support the development of high-quality, low-emission rice.

Can Tho is the driving force of the Mekong Delta region, possessing many favorable conditions for developing high-quality agriculture with over 511,000 hectares of agricultural land, of which 319,000 hectares are rice paddies, and an annual planting area of ​​over 700,000 hectares.

The city is not only a key production area but also a hub for linking and spreading sustainable agricultural models throughout the region. In recent years, Can Tho City has pioneered the application of science and technology , promoting high-quality rice production, reducing emissions, and developing smart farming models that adapt to climate change.

Mr. Tran Chi Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, pledged to support and create a favorable investment environment for Japanese businesses. Photo: Kim Anh.

On December 12th, at the conference promoting Japanese FDI investment in the 1 million hectare high-quality, low-emission rice project, organized by the People's Committee of Can Tho City in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Mr. Tran Chi Hung – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City – assessed that, in the context of the agricultural and environmental sectors undergoing a strong transformation towards green and low-emission directions and fulfilling the national commitment to Netzero by 2050, international cooperation plays a crucial role.

In particular, Japan – a country with advanced agriculture, high technology, and top-quality standards – will be an important partner, bringing many development opportunities to Can Tho City.

To open up opportunities for cooperation, the leaders of Can Tho City are committed to always accompanying and creating the most favorable investment environment, reforming administrative procedures, and providing prompt support to help Japanese businesses implement their projects effectively.

At the same time, the city will work alongside investors to overcome difficulties throughout the project implementation process, develop infrastructure serving production, processing, and logistics, and meet the needs of expanding the production of high-quality, low-emission rice.

Can Tho also ensures land availability, raw material areas, and human resources to meet the requirements of high-tech cooperation projects in agriculture; promotes research, innovation, and digital transformation in rice production and agricultural management.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, after 3 years of implementing the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project, the city has coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to successfully implement rice cultivation processes that reduce emissions. This has helped farmers increase productivity by 0.3 - 0.7 tons/ha compared to traditional farming. As a result, farmers have achieved higher profits of 1.3 - 6.5 million VND/ha thanks to a 30% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer, 2-3 fewer pesticide applications, a 30-40% reduction in irrigation water, and increased profits from selling straw.

By participating in the project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice, farmers in Can Tho City have increased their profits by 1.3 - 6.5 million VND/hectare compared to those outside the model. Photo: Kim Anh.

However, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, due to the slow and limited technical skills of farmers and cooperatives in data collection and input, and the incomplete data synchronization between platforms, it creates difficulties for farmers in monitoring, statistically analyzing, and managing production.

In some areas, investment in technological equipment such as water level sensors, IoT systems, and management software is limited, creating difficulties in developing high-quality, low-emission rice production models.

Therefore, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City hopes to receive cooperation and support from Japanese businesses in researching climate-resistant rice varieties suitable for the Japanese market; building a brand of low-emission rice, applying emission measurement technology; and investing resources in infrastructure and technology to serve the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project.

As a leading rice exporting company in Can Tho City, Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company has been cooperating with MURASE Group for about 5 years to develop a high-quality rice raw material area, supplying reduced-emission rice to the Japanese market.

Mr. Pham Thai Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company, assessed this cooperation as quite deep, with the partner sending agricultural engineers and bringing Japanese rice varieties to plant on the company's fields.

According to Mr. Binh, the raw material area under the Project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in Can Tho City in particular and the Mekong Delta region in general has been established. Farmers and businesses, with the support of specialized agencies, are also implementing the criteria for reducing emissions in rice production quite well. "If we talk about the ability to meet the criteria, we can absolutely do it," Mr. Binh emphasized.

Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company is a leading enterprise in Can Tho exporting low-emission rice to the Japanese market. Photo: Kim Anh.

Mr. Binh also expects Japanese partners to cooperate more in investing in machinery and equipment to serve key stages of the emission reduction process, one of the major bottlenecks currently being the processing of straw after harvest.

"Currently, straw is baled in the fields, transported by boat, and then taken to the pressing facility, resulting in very high costs. Meanwhile, some types of Japanese rice harvesting machines are capable of chopping straw and spraying it back into the fields. However, straw still needs to be collected from the fields to avoid generating emissions," Mr. Binh explained.

Mr. Binh proposed that both sides research improvements to the rice harvesting machine: the rice would be collected in a separate tank, while the straw would be chopped and put into another tank for direct transport to the field, where it would be loaded onto trucks or boats and taken to the drying plant.

In addition, Mr. Binh expressed his desire for Japan to cooperate in investing in the development of advanced processing technology for rice-based products. He believes that with Japan's modern technology and high standards, building rice-based processing plants will open up a huge market.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/can-tho-ky-vong-nhat-ban-dong-hanh-phat-trien-chuoi-gia-tri-lua-gao-xanh-d789038.html