Clean rice from green fields

With its great potential for rice production, Thanh Hoa's agricultural sector not only focuses on stabilizing the cultivated area but also concentrates on producing clean rice; strictly controlling pesticide residues to reduce emissions, production costs, and increase income for farmers.

Clean rice from green fields Tien Son clean rice from Ha Linh commune (Ha Trung district) is popular with consumers. Photo: Le Ngoc

In the concentrated rice production area, during the spring crop of 2025, people in Xuan Minh commune (Tho Xuan district) planted 215 hectares of rice. Of this, 80 hectares were cultivated organically using the main varieties TBR225 and Bac Thom No. 7 KBL. These rice varieties are suitable for the local soil, have good pest and disease resistance, and yield high productivity, quality, and efficiency. On the same area, to establish a raw material zone for OCOP products, since the spring crop of 2022, the Xuan Minh Agricultural Service and Rural Development Cooperative has collaborated with several households participating in the production chain, cultivating 10 hectares of rice in a concentrated area according to VietGAP standards. To date, this area has been expanded to 40 hectares, with an additional 10 hectares dedicated to organic production.

According to Ms. Do Thi Hoa, director of the cooperative: “With the goal of producing clean, high-quality rice to supply markets inside and outside the province, and aiming for export, all production processes from seed selection, fertilization, and pest control strictly adhere to technical procedures. We use organic fertilizers, do not use pesticides or nitrogen fertilizers, and apply comprehensive mechanization from land preparation, seedling trays, transplanting, harvesting to processing, packaging, and post-harvest preservation. With the area of organic production applying the "5 no's" principle, the problem of discarded pesticide bottles scattered in the fields has been reduced; and the awareness of farmers in complying with rice cultivation procedures has been raised.”

"Although organic farming results in slower rice growth, the product delivered to consumers consists of slender, long, bright white grains with a light aroma. When cooked, the rice releases a natural fragrance, and the cooked rice is sweet and chewy..." - Ms. Hoa added. Currently, the Hoa Minh rice brand is widely known to consumers. Each season, the cooperative sells over 100 tons of rice, supplying several schools in the district and markets in provinces such as Nghe An and Ha Tinh ...

Currently, the entire province has developed and expanded the area of rice production following organic and VietGAP standards, with many areas achieving certification in the districts of Thieu Hoa, Trieu Son, Yen Dinh, Tho Xuan, Nong Cong, etc. Many businesses such as Bac Trung Bo Joint Stock Company, Thai Binh Seed Group Company, Tam Phu Hung High-Tech Food Company Limited, etc., have linked production and guaranteed product sales. Based on this foundation, many OCOP products have become known to consumers, such as Tien Son Ha Linh glutinous rice, Gia Mieu Ngoai Trang glutinous rice, Tien Son No. 3 rice, Van Dai rice, Hoa Minh rice, Ngoc Trai rice, etc.

At the VietGAP-certified rice production field in Quang Hoa commune (Quang Xuong district), farmer Nguyen Van Son said: “Rice production according to VietGAP standards has shown clear advantages compared to traditional farming methods. We were guided by technical staff to apply intensive farming methods using high-yield, high-quality rice varieties, concentrated planting, and balanced fertilization, resulting in strong rice plants and well-ventilated fields... At the same time, we keep a logbook, record the time of pesticide use, and wear protective clothing to protect our health... Thanks to this, the number of pesticide sprayings has been reduced, and production costs have decreased by 25-30% compared to traditional farming.” By participating in the VietGAP-certified rice production linkage, people have become more conscious of collecting pesticide packaging and bottles in designated places, contributing to the protection of the ecological environment.

Currently, Quang Xuong district has established a high-quality rice production area of over 800 hectares in the communes of Quang Van, Quang Hoa, Quang Hop, Quang Ngoc, Quang Nhan, Quang Long, Quang Yen, etc., meeting quality standards and widely consumed.

It can be affirmed that, given the increasingly high demands of the market and the increasingly stringent regulations of importing countries requiring higher rice quality, expanding the area of VietGAP and organic production to create clean, high-quality rice while protecting the environment is an inevitable trend. Although the initial investment is higher than conventional production, and the production techniques are more difficult, it has contributed to creating safe rice products that are beneficial to consumers' health. At the same time, it contributes to raising awareness and changing farming methods among people in sustainable agricultural production, reducing labor, increasing crop value, protecting the environment and field ecosystems, and adapting to climate change.

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