High-tech agricultural project in Phuc Loc commune: 5 years later, it's still a wasteland!

Green project?

In the last months of 2020, Hoang Thai Construction Joint Stock Company, headquartered in Thai Son commune, Do Luong district (now Van Hien commune), completed documents and procedures to request the implementation of an investment project for a high-tech organic agricultural production farm in Nghi Cong Bac commune, Nghi Loc district (now Phuc Loc commune).

After considering related factors, from the opinion of the Department of Planning and Investment at that time (now the Department of Finance); the opinion of the former Nghi Loc District Party Committee on the investment project in the area, and through surveying the current status of the land, comparing land use planning, construction planning, economic and social development orientation of the locality... The People's Committee of the former Nghi Loc district sent a document to the Provincial People's Committee and related departments and branches on approving the investment policy for the above project.

On December 18, 2020, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 4666/QD-UBND approving the investment policy of a high-tech organic agricultural farm in Nghi Cong Bac commune, old Nghi Loc district, and assigned Hoang Thai Construction Joint Stock Company as the investor with an area of about 10 hectares.

bna_6(1).jpg — Location map for the project planning of the high-tech organic agricultural farm in Nghi Cong Bac commune (now Phuc Loc commune). Photo: Tien Dong

The objective of this project is to invest in building a multi-crop organic agricultural production area to create clean products with organic certification, highly competitive in the market to increase the added value of agricultural products, create economic benefits, jobs, and income; exploit the potential of barren sand dunes and create a sustainable organic agricultural production model.

The project includes the following items: House for growing vegetables and melons according to the appropriate season; house for growing mushrooms, sprouts, and producing seeds; house for raising rabbits and chickens according to organic standards, operating office combined with rest area; experimental house, warehouse, and nursery; other auxiliary systems.

The total capital of this project is 27.5 billion VND, of which 36.36% is equity capital and bank loan capital. The project progress is determined to be 24 months from the effective date of the decision approving the investment policy.

When the project investment policy was approved, both the government and local people were full of expectations. Everyone believed that the abandoned rocky land of dozens of hectares would be "awakened", transformed into a modern high-tech agricultural production area, contributing to promoting sustainable socio-economic development for the western region of Nghi Loc district at that time.

bna_2(1).jpg — The planned area of the high-tech organic agricultural production farm project (located on the other side of the stream) is still a wasteland. Photo: Tien Dong

Still a wasteland

Despite setting lofty goals. But, contrary to expectations, up to now, after 5 years, the land where this project was implemented is still an empty lot, the investor has not implemented any items. This makes the local people very upset and petition the authorities to revoke the project.

Leading us to survey the project site, an expert from the Economic Department of the People's Committee of Phuc Loc Commune said that this area is called Bai Trang, formerly agricultural land bordering Nghi Cong Nam and Nghi Cong Bac communes, now merged into one Phuc Loc commune. The entire area is up to 40 hectares, of which the project land only occupies more than 10 hectares.

It is known that the 10ha area has approved the investment policy for the high-tech organic agricultural production farm project of Hoang Thai Construction Joint Stock Company, which is land under the management of the People's Committee of Phuc Loc commune (not part of the 5% public land fund). Specifically, it includes: 6.66ha of flat land for annual crops; 0.26ha of land for perennial crops; 3.3ha of other agricultural land; 0.43ha of traffic land; 0.15ha of irrigation land and 0.07ha of unused flat land.

In fact, the land is located less than 1km from the inter-commune road, in the middle of this field there is a small stream with abundant water source, close to the residential area, which are favorable factors for developing high-tech agriculture. However, all of this is still only "on paper", while the abandoned land is gradually being used by people to grow cassava and graze cattle.

Local people believe that "hanging" land for so many years not only wastes resources but also hinders people's production rights, affecting the agricultural development orientation of the commune.

bna_1(3).jpg — Many opinions say that with a large area of up to 40 hectares, it is necessary to attract large investment projects and avoid fragmentation. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Nguyen Phu Dong - Head of Economic Department, People's Committee of Phuc Loc Commune said: Recently, on August 13, 2025, implementing the opinion of the Department of Finance on reviewing the project that is behind schedule and not implemented in the area outside the Southeast Economic Zone and industrial parks, the commune also issued report No. 41/BC-UBND reviewing related to this project. The commune also confirmed that the project of High-tech agricultural production farm in the old Nghi Cong Bac commune has not implemented any items.

Through field research and some opinions from local people, this area has a beautiful location, close to National Highway 7C (also known as N5), and close to the North-South expressway interchange. This area is also located north of Dai Hue mountain range, and between Nghi Cong lake and Khe Thi lake (two large reservoirs). This is a very favorable location to develop a large-scale agricultural model, combining high technology and eco- tourism . But if only assigned to a small, fragmented enterprise, it will be difficult to bring about efficiency.

Regarding the project of High-tech Agricultural Production Farm in the organic direction, the implementation progress was assigned to 24 months (2 years), but up to now, 5 years have passed and it has not been implemented. Obviously, there is a problem in the appraisal and selection of investors. Because only when land is allocated to competent units with long-term development strategies, can the abandoned lands in Phuc Loc commune be turned into modern production areas, contributing to changing the face of the new countryside.

Re-evaluating, screening and boldly withdrawing ineffective projects is also essential to restore the real value of the land, and to create trust for the people and investors who are truly passionate about high-tech agriculture. Avoid the situation of "land encroachment", distorting investment attraction policies.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/du-an-nong-nghiep-cong-nghe-cao-o-xa-phuc-loc-5-nam-van-la-bai-dat-hoang-10308912.html