Professionalization to raise tilapia level
Over the years, cooperatives have promoted the spirit of solidarity and association in production, supporting each other in terms of capital, seeds, techniques, and effective use of land, labor, and materials, contributing to improving economic efficiency. Now, new production thinking, especially the role of new-style cooperatives, is creating a silent revolution, turning untapped potential into high economic value, bringing local agricultural products to the international market.
Mr. Le Van Viet (blue shirt) - Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Xuyen Viet Cooperative is sharing the values and potential of tilapia with officials of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hai Phong. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
For example, Xuyen Viet Aquaculture and Service Cooperative (Xuyen Viet Cooperative) and Hoang Nam Phat Agricultural Production and Service Cooperative (Hoang Nam Phat Cooperative) in the West of Hai Phong , with pioneering steps in building a closed value chain and applying high technology, they not only enrich their members but are also reshaping the face of agriculture in the Port City.
Mr. Le Van Viet - Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Xuyen Viet Cooperative, shared that, realizing the advantages of the dense river system such as Kinh Thay River, Red River, Thai Binh River and large flooded areas in Tu Ky, Gia Loc, Ninh Giang, Mr. Viet and his members were determined to take a separate path: developing large-scale, professional aquaculture.
The target chosen by the cooperative is tilapia - a species known as "the world's waterfowl" with the largest global consumption output. "Hai Duong in the past and Tay Hai Phong today were considered strong in agricultural cultivation, but the potential for aquaculture is actually very large. Therefore, we chose a spearhead to create an important link in the supply and demand chain," Mr. Viet shared.
Xuyen Viet's pioneering step is to systematically invest in technology. Instead of extensive farming, the cooperative applies advanced models such as "river-in-pond farming", floating ponds, and especially Biofloc technology. These technologies not only help increase productivity and product quality but also solve many major challenges: minimizing the impact of climate change, saving water resources, and reducing input costs. This is the foundation of a circular economy right in each pond.
Closed, high-tech tilapia farming area of Xuyen Viet Cooperative. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
From the initial steps of being self-sufficient in almost the entire chain - from seed production, commercial farming, to self-organization of consumption, training of processes for members - Xuyen Viet Cooperative has grown strongly. Since 2020, the Cooperative has started to cooperate with large enterprises to bring products further. Sweet results came in 2024, when the first containers of tilapia from the Cooperative were officially exported to demanding markets such as Europe and the US.
Currently, with 52 core members and more than 100 associated households, the cooperative manages a farming area of 136 hectares, of which 40% has applied high technology. Each year, the cooperative supplies the market with nearly 10,000 tons of fish, 80% of which is tilapia. "Our goal is to increase output tenfold in the coming period, turning fish farming into a professional, sustainable profession that brings stable income to people," Mr. Viet affirmed.
'A to Z' process for exporting vegetables and tubers
If Xuyen Viet turns the low-lying area into a "gold mine" of aquatic products, Hoang Nam Phat Cooperative affirms its position by bringing familiar agricultural products of Hai Duong such as carrots, cabbage, cauliflower... to conquer export markets.
Mr. Ho Viet Hoan - Director of Hoang Nam Phat Cooperative, said the secret lies in building an "A to Z" production process that meets the most stringent standards. To have products that meet export quality, we must build a process from land preparation, seed selection, to applying science and technology and advanced care processes.
Mr. Ho Viet Hoan - Director of Hoang Nam Phat Cooperative is checking the growth of winter melons for export. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
The cooperative does not stop at organizing production in the fields but also invests heavily in post-harvest with a system of warehouses, processing lines, and modern packaging. All stages strictly comply with international standards such as VietGAP, GlobalG.AP, as well as specific specifications required by foreign partners. Strict control of pesticide and fertilizer residues, and ensuring food hygiene and safety are mandatory requirements.
Hoang Nam Phat's linkage model between the Cooperative and farmers and farms is an innovative approach. By investing in knowledge, processes and management, the Cooperative has created a circular agricultural ecosystem, clean agriculture, ensuring that all products are of consistent quality and meet the standards to "take off".
"To have quality products, we have to build a process from land preparation, seed selection to applying science and technology. We have invested heavily in modern warehouse systems, processing and packaging lines, strictly complying with VietGAP and GlobalG.AP standards and strictly controlling pesticide residues," Mr. Hoan added.
Mr. Ho Viet Hoan checks the cold storage of carrots for export. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
After the merger, Hai Phong City has 790 Cooperatives and People's Credit Funds in operation, including 555 agricultural cooperatives, 54 industrial - handicraft cooperatives, 30 service - trade cooperatives, 29 transport cooperatives, 15 construction cooperatives, 97 People's Credit Funds and 10 other cooperatives. Along with that, the city currently has 14 Cooperative Unions, about 137 cooperative groups with 152 members. The average revenue of each cooperative group is estimated at 650 million VND/year, with a profit of about 70 million VND/year.
New cooperative models have proven that with the right mindset, proper investment and close connection, agriculture can completely become a spearhead economic sector with high value. With the "push" from the potential combination between the two localities, the path from farmers' fields and fish ponds to the "big sea" has been and is becoming more open.
The success of cooperatives in Hai Phong always has the support of the agricultural sector, authorities at all levels and the Cooperative Alliance. For the Hai Phong City Cooperative Alliance alone, since the beginning of 2025, it has organized 10 training courses on digital transformation, product promotion, and at the same time supported units to participate in many large trade promotion fairs. Thereby, it has created a comprehensive support ecosystem from capital, technology to market, helping more and more cooperatives reach out to the big sea.
Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nhung-hop-tac-xa-kieu-moi-o-hai-phong-dua-nong-thuy-san-xuat-ngoai-d786004.html
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