Standardizing agricultural production for export purposes.

(GLO) - Gia Lai is accelerating the standardization of agricultural production through the establishment of planting area codes and packaging facilities to meet the increasingly high demands of the export market. The shift in mindset of businesses and farmers is creating a foundation for improving quality and stabilizing the output of agricultural products.

Changing the mindset in production

In Ia Bang commune, Hung Son High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company is a pioneer in standardizing the production of bananas for export. To date, the company has established 7 planting area codes for over 400 hectares of bananas and has been granted 3 packaging facility codes. With an annual output of 20,000-25,000 tons of bananas, the company's revenue reaches 12-15 million USD.

Mr. Le Hoang Linh, Director of the high-tech banana project of the company, said that the South American Cavendish bananas grown here achieve a yield of over 50 tons/ha, produced according to GlobalGAP standards.

“With a registered planting area code, the product can be exported more easily to Japan, South Korea, China, etc.; the value increases by 20-30% compared to before. Without a code, bananas are only consumed domestically or exported through unofficial channels, which is very unstable. The registered planting area code is the ‘passport’ that helps us maintain market stability and build our brand,” Mr. Linh informed.

Banana plantation of Hung Son High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company. Photo: Le Nam

Not only businesses, but many cooperatives in the province are also boldly changing their production methods to international standards. Hung Thom Gia Lai Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Hra commune) has been granted 7 planting area codes for 126.4 hectares of passion fruit.

The cooperative links with farmers to produce according to GlobalGAP standards, achieving yields of 45-50 tons/ha. Cooperative director Do Thi My Thom shared: “Thanks to the planting area code, the cooperative can easily link with businesses to export to Europe and China.”

"Selling prices to Europe are at least 30% higher, and to China 10% higher, compared to domestic prices. Farmers earn a profit of 100-200 million VND/hectare/season. Most importantly, the market is stable, and they no longer have to worry about being forced to accept low prices."

Similarly, the Ia Mơ Nông Agricultural Production-Trade-Service- Tourism Cooperative (Ia Ly commune) has been granted 3 planting area codes for 124 hectares of durian. The entire production of nearly 2,000 tons of durian per year from the cooperative is currently exported to China.

According to Le Van Thanh, director of the cooperative: "Initially, farmers were hesitant because the production process according to standards was quite complicated. But when they saw that the product could enter a large market, with high and stable prices, farmers changed their mindset."

Promote the issuance of planting area codes.

According to regulations, the planting area code serves as an identifier to control production activities, quality, and product traceability. Planting areas granted a code are only permitted to use pesticides from the approved list and that meet the standards of the importing country. This compels farmers, cooperatives, and businesses to produce in a safe and sustainable manner.

Each household participating in the registered growing area must strictly adhere to the technical procedures; even a single violation can lead to the revocation of the entire area's registration number.

The entire province has 67 durian growing area codes covering 1,539 hectares that are exported to China. Photo: LN

According to the Plant Protection and Crop Production Sub-Department (Department of Agriculture and Environment), the province currently has 255 export-oriented crop production area codes covering more than 10,246 hectares.

These include 67 codes for durian (1,539 ha), 48 codes for passion fruit (1,153 ha), 38 codes for sweet potato (929 ha), 38 codes for banana (3,257 ha), 10 codes for jackfruit (1,285 ha), 10 codes for watermelon (765 ha), along with many codes for mango, dragon fruit, chili peppers, coconut, etc.

The province also has 40 packaging facility codes with a capacity of 1,620-1,800 tons of fruit per day and 52 codes for domestic growing areas for coffee, vegetables, avocados, pepper, rice, etc.

Currently, relevant agencies are finalizing the dossiers to request the issuance of an additional 109 export-oriented growing area codes (2,164 hectares) and 51 domestic-oriented growing area codes (459 hectares).

Mr. Tran Xuan Khai, Head of the Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub-Department, said that the unit regularly coordinates with and guides businesses and cooperatives in establishing planting area codes; conducts field inspections and completes dossiers to submit to the Crop Production and Plant Protection Department for granting planting area codes and packaging facility codes.

According to the plan for the period 2026-2030, the province's crop production sector will be restructured towards concentrated, specialized farming; forming raw material areas to serve deep processing and export; standardizing production processes according to international standards; encouraging high-tech and organic agriculture; promoting digital transformation and digitizing data in farming areas; and attracting investment in processing and logistics infrastructure.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/chuan-hoa-san-xuat-nong-nghiep-de-phuc-vu-xuat-khau-post574747.html