Rice creates position from high quality

Creating a position in the domestic and foreign markets with high-quality segments is the goal that the Ca Mau rice production industry sets for this 2025 crop season, as well as the following years.

Natural conditions have created many competitive advantages for the province's rice products in the market, especially in the high-quality, clean, organic product segment... Of the more than 75,000 hectares of rice production land in the province, there are currently about 35,000 hectares of double-crop cultivation, more than 37,000 hectares of rice-shrimp production, and the remaining 3,000 hectares of seasonal rice.

In recent times, although the yield has not been really high, averaging 5 tons/ha, Ca Mau rice has received special attention from authorities, business units and enterprises because of its high quality. Especially the rice product line produced according to the rice-shrimp model. In the period of 2020-2024, the whole province has 730 hectares of organic rice-shrimp meeting Organic standards (USDA, EU, JAS) and other Vietnamese standards.

With safe rice production models, organic rice, ecological rice, rice - shrimp, rice - fish, rice - color... (high-quality rice area of 25,000 hectares, specialty fragrant rice area of 10,000 hectares and processed rice area of 5,000 hectares have been built by the province in the past time), the room for developing high-quality rice production to meet current domestic and international standards is very large. This is the foundation for the provincial rice industry to set a target in 2025 to have over 60% of the total 81,500 hectares of rice cultivation area applying advanced cultivation processes; reducing fertilizers and pesticides by 25% or more; reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10%. Accordingly, there will be about 350,000 tons of rice, equivalent to 200,000 tons of rice consumed outside the province and for export. Of which, high-quality white rice accounts for 70%, equivalent to 140,000 tons; fragrant and specialty rice accounts for 25% (50,000 tons); rice for processing accounts for 5% (10,000 tons). Piloting a model of high-quality, low-emission rice production associated with green growth on about 1,180 hectares.

Currently, people cultivate high-quality rice on about 60-65% of the area. (Photo taken on February 20, 2024).

In addition, strive to link production with consumption (through contracts) to reach 15% of the cultivated area. Mr. Nguyen Tran Thuc, Head of the Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection, said that this goal is completely achievable, because currently people have cultivated high-quality rice accounting for about 60-65% of the area, specialty rice accounting for 30%, and medium-quality rice accounting for 5-10% of the area.

However, to develop the rice industry to achieve the goal of modernity, efficiency and sustainability, there is still much to do and many difficulties to overcome. Among them, Mr. Thuc pointed out that the province's rice production is still dependent on and often damaged by natural disasters and weather. In the past 10 years, nearly 100,000 hectares of rice have been damaged by natural disasters. In particular, production organization is still small and fragmented, making it difficult to link production and product consumption.

Building a production and consumption chain linking rice is considered a key solution to increase product value, production efficiency, and improve farmers' income... However, in the past, the effectiveness of linkage activities was not high and was often broken. According to Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Vice President of the Vietnam Rice Industry Association, the current consumption trend in the world is clean, safe and environmentally friendly products. This trend opens up advantages and opportunities for the rice industry of Ca Mau province, with typical products such as rice, organic rice, and ecological rice. The problem is how to link to move towards commodity-oriented production.

As the locality with the largest rice cultivation area in the province, in recent times, people in Tran Van Thoi district have applied scientific and technological advances in production to improve the productivity and quality of rice. Mr. Ho Song Toan, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said: "The district is coordinating with specialized agencies, institutes, schools... to plan rice material areas towards high quality, low emissions. From there, continue to focus on building a high-quality rice brand, associated with geographical indications, traceability, growing area codes...".

Kinh Don Agricultural Service Cooperative (HTX), Kinh Don Hamlet, Khanh Binh Tay Bac Commune, Tran Van Thoi District, is the unit with the production area selected to implement the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030". Mr. Nguyen Vu Truong, Director of the Cooperative, shared: "Not only 60 hectares of rice in the project, the remaining area of the cooperative has followed the model of high-quality, safe rice and green growth. However, the problem of product consumption is the biggest difficulty that the farmers are facing".

Currently, the whole province has 109 spraying planes (drones) serving rice production for the people.

Thoi Binh is the locality with the largest rice-shrimp production area in the province, with many areas achieving Vietnam organic certification, USDA, EU, JAS standards, VietGAP, GlobalGAP, ecological rice standards... However, people are facing difficulties in mechanization in harvesting. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Bao, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said that in the past, the district has coordinated with departments, branches and units to provide machinery and equipment to mechanize rice harvesting for the district's rice-shrimp area. However, there are still some localities in the former sugarcane raw material area that have not been able to mechanize rice harvesting. The district is continuing to find solutions to mechanize this area to improve production efficiency, rice quality and reduce costs for people.

According to statistics, the whole province currently has about 880 tillage machines; 8 transplanters and seeders; 8,500 pesticide sprayers, 109 spraying planes (drones); 237 combine harvesters, and 5 straw rollers.

Although there are still difficulties, the potential for developing Ca Mau's rice industry in an ecological and organic direction is huge. Accordingly, in 2025, the province will pilot 1,180 hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice production model associated with green growth. From there, it aims to form a growing area of 23,000 hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice associated with green growth by 2030, gradually bringing the position of the province's rice production industry to new heights./.

Nguyen Phu

Source: https://baocamau.vn/lua-gao-tao-vi-the-tu-chat-luong-cao-a38905.html