Opening a “new door” for agriculture from digital transformation

Not only expanding the market and increasing product value, putting agricultural products on e-commerce platforms helps farmers be more proactive and reduce dependence on traders.

Digital transformation helps many customers change their perspective on Gia Lai agricultural products. Photo: TN

Identifying digital transformation as the “key” to increasing the value of agricultural products, the province has actively promoted the development of e-commerce in the agricultural sector. Many cooperatives, production households and enterprises are gradually approaching digital platforms, learning how to livestream sales, build personal brands and expand their customer base in cyberspace.

In Kong Chro district, Kong Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative is one of the typical units in taking advantage of e-commerce platforms to consume fruits. With T6 longan products meeting 3-star OCOP standards, the Cooperative has gradually eliminated intermediaries, selling directly on the platform, increasing revenue to more than 2 billion VND/year, 2-3 times higher than the traditional consumption method through traders. Mr. Trinh Xuan Anh - Director of the Cooperative - shared: "Selling agricultural products on e-commerce platforms and through social networking platforms helps members of the Cooperative adjust production plans according to market demand and consumer tastes, overcome geographical barriers, and reduce costs".

Not only cooperatives, many production households have also started the digital transformation journey to escape the old way of doing business. For example, the passion fruit seedling facility of Mr. Bui Thanh Ngoc - Director of Ngoc Thuy Tien Production and Trading Company Limited (Hang Ring village, Chu Se town). Realizing the great potential from the market outside the province, in 2023, Mr. Ngoc started building a personal brand, sharing technical instructions on growing passion fruit on social networking platforms such as: TikTok, Facebook, YouTube ... to approach buyers in a more proactive and professional way. Each year, his facility supplies about 3,000-4,000 boxes of passion fruit seedlings to the market with 4 main varieties: NTT One, NTT Gold, Summit and Dai Nong 1. The products are consumed in 5 provinces of the Central Highlands, bringing him a revenue of more than 4 billion VND/year, an increase of 30-40% compared to before implementing digital transformation.

“Digital transformation is not only a trend but also a vital choice for farmers today. I realize that if we only sell seedlings in the province, we cannot fully exploit our potential. If we want our products to go further, to many other lands, we must not just wait for customers to come but proactively seek them out. And digital transformation is the way for me to do that easily,” Mr. Ngoc affirmed.

Selling through e-commerce channels helps Gia Lai agricultural products reach more customers. Photo: HM

Faced with the fact that digital transformation is still new to rural people, the Department of Industry and Trade has had many support activities. Accordingly, training programs are organized regularly, thereby guiding businesses, cooperatives and farmers on skills to put products on e-commerce platforms, how to livestream sales and access the online market. Typically, the livestream session in September 2024 brought nearly 100 typical products of Gia Lai such as: Phuong Di honey, Co Hai Tay Nguyen dipping salt, Nam Phuc black bean tea... to nearly 150,000 views, nearly 800 orders were closed.

According to Ms. Dao Thi Thu Nguyet - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade: "To be effective on e-commerce platforms, agricultural products must meet standards, sellers must have a clear market strategy, offer reasonable prices and ensure output". From 2022 to present, the Department of Industry and Trade has organized many digital skills training courses, guided groups on e-commerce development solutions, accessed information on digital advertising trends, and used artificial intelligence in the process of processing and converting information. From there, supporting units to put products on e-commerce platforms, training in livestream sales and building personal brands for thousands of farmers, small traders, and production households.

“In the coming time, the Department of Industry and Trade will focus on supporting the development of e-commerce in traditional markets, especially supporting ethnic minorities to access and apply e-commerce in production and business. Along with that, we will continue to research and connect with platforms such as Shopee, TikTok Shop... to build new distribution channels, supporting the consumption of local products. In addition, the Department also aims to build a program for Gia Lai specialty product festivals, Gia Lai product weeks on e-commerce platforms, connecting the consumption of typical products of each district according to the season...” - The Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade added.

Currently, in the province, there are 213 traders, 6 organizations, 84 individuals who have registered e-commerce websites/e-commerce applications/providing e-commerce services with the Ministry of Industry and Trade at the address: www.online.gov.vn. Of which, 113 e-commerce websites selling goods, 3 websites providing e-commerce services, 2 e-commerce applications selling goods have been confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade as having been successfully registered/notified.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/mo-canh-cua-moi-cho-nong-nghiep-tu-chuyen-doi-so-post319875.html