Despite having experience in growing and linking organic rice production with businesses over many seasons, farmers in some cooperatives in Hai Lang district decided not to participate in the program in 2025. For example, the Van Quy Cooperative in Hai Phong commune failed to achieve its plan to expand the area of organic rice cultivation from 24 hectares to 40 hectares this season.
The reason is that cooperatives and businesses have failed to convince members to participate because the cost of producing organic rice is high, but the yield, quality, and selling price are not commensurate (especially when the price of conventional rice increases sharply in 2024, further narrowing the profit margin gap with organic rice).
Meanwhile, Kim Long Cooperative in Hai Que commune has also temporarily suspended its partnership with businesses in organic rice production for the 2025 summer-autumn crop because it found the ST25 rice variety unsuitable for this season (due to hot weather and a high percentage of shriveled grains, resulting in low yields). Furthermore, ST25 has a long growing season (usually harvested around September 10th), while the district's plan is to complete the summer-autumn rice harvest by August 25th to avoid early flooding. The cooperative is proposing that the businesses switch to a different variety more suitable for the Hai Lang fields.
Since 2017, Quang Tri province's agricultural sector has begun piloting organic rice cultivation. To date, the area under organic rice cultivation has expanded through a collaborative organic rice farming model implemented by the Quang Tri Agricultural Extension Center and Quang Tri Trading Corporation in several localities. The organic rice variety used in production is ST25 (a rice variety that has been twice recognized as the world's best-tasting rice).
In early 2023, organic rice from Quang Tri was exported to the European market. To achieve this result, the province and several localities have recently issued policies to support and stimulate organic agricultural production, including organic rice cultivation.
However, in reality, the expansion of organic rice cultivation area is still slow and not commensurate with its potential (a survey by a consulting firm shows that Quang Tri has about 3,000 hectares with sufficient electricity for organic rice production, accounting for about 10% of the total rice area in the province).
Currently, the area of organic rice cultivation in the province remains fragmented and small-scale. Furthermore, the elevation of the fields is uneven in many areas, and irrigation canals and internal field transportation are degraded and not standardized, hindering irrigation, mechanization, and the application of science and technology in production. In particular, the number of businesses involved in the production and consumption of organic rice is still small, and the benefits are not harmonized between all parties, thus failing to create a significant breakthrough.
At the end of 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued a plan for the development of organic rice cultivation linked to sustainable value chains in the province for the period 2025-2030. Accordingly, the districts of Hai Lang, Trieu Phong, Gio Linh, Vinh Linh, and Cam Lo are planned for organic rice production. The goal is to strive for at least 250 hectares of organic rice cultivation in each locality by 2025, and at least 500 hectares of organic rice cultivation by 2030.
Clearly allocating land to each district as described above will help each locality quantify and plan specific activities for improving farmland, reorganizing irrigation systems and internal field transportation, and encouraging people to consolidate land...
This is considered an important basis for localities to develop organic rice cultivation plans that suit the requirements, potential, and advantages of each production region, thereby mobilizing all parties (cooperatives, production groups, businesses, farmers) to participate in the supply chain.
Therefore, each locality needs to urgently review and comprehensively assess the current state of organic agricultural production in its area, and determine specific targets to guide development. At the same time, it should advise the province to issue policies that are appropriate to the practical situation and strong enough to attract businesses to participate, because they are the ones who help find markets, diversify products, thereby increasing the value of rice and helping farmers have a sustainable source of income.
Local authorities also need to proactively coordinate with relevant units to organize trials and pilot programs to select new rice varieties suitable for the production season and soil conditions in Quang Tri province for organic farming.
In particular, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda, raise awareness and improve production capacity so that farmers understand the practical and long-term benefits of organic agriculture, thereby each person proactively changing their farming methods, becoming involved and an important link in the organic rice production chain.
Mai Lam
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/de-nong-dan-gan-bo-voi-cay-lua-huu-co-193213.htm
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