Can Tho farmers innovate professional farming thinking

From small-scale production to agricultural economic thinking, Can Tho farmers are affirming their position in farming with knowledge, technology and market.

Farming according to market signals

Passing the stage of traditional agricultural cultivation, mainly relying on experience and weather; now, farmers in Can Tho city in particular, and the Mekong Delta in general, have moved to a period of professional farming, linking production with the consumer market and science and technology. The change in thinking not only helps farmers increase their income but also opens up a direction for sustainable development.

With a professional farming approach, linking production with the market, science and technology, Mr. Le Van Sau has become a durian billionaire. Photo: Le Hung.

After nearly 35 years of ups and downs, attached to durian trees, Mr. Le Van Sau (Tan Binh commune, Can Tho city) has experienced many failures before succeeding with more than 1,000 durian trees, with an average yield of 15 tons/ha. This success not only helped Mr. Sau become a billionaire but he was also honored as "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer" in 2024.

Mr. Sau said: “In the beginning, I only had 1 hectare of land, planted 180 durian trees. At that time, due to lack of experience, the harvest was sometimes good, sometimes bad, and the quality was not as expected. Later, I was determined to research and learn techniques from leading experts, apply advanced techniques and achieve success.”

From the mindset of doing more is having more, Mr. Sau switched to the right technical way to make profit. His durian garden now applies an automatic irrigation system, fertilizes with organic microorganisms, strictly follows the technical process for export. The products meet high quality standards, and are stably purchased by businesses.

Not only individual farmers, cooperatives in Can Tho are also changing strongly. From an initial area of ​​30 hectares, the Xa No Mekong Rice Cooperative Union has now grown to 1,000 hectares, becoming a typical model in implementing the "Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030".

Mr. Nguyen Van Thich, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Cooperative Union, said: When participating in this model, farmers are instructed on techniques to reduce seeds, reduce fertilizers, and reduce pesticides, thereby reducing production costs, increasing profits, and at the same time contributing to environmental protection.

“In the past, farmers sold what they had. Now it’s different, we produce according to what the market needs. When we make products that meet consumer needs, the added value is much higher,” Mr. Thich added.

Market-based production thinking is spreading strongly in Can Tho, helping farmers no longer depend on traders but be more proactive in the agricultural value chain.

Mr. Tran Van Phuc, Cu Lao Dung commune (Can Tho city) successfully built the San Tien pink plum brand, a typical model for modern agricultural thinking. Photo: Le Hung.

  Professional farming to go far

With the spirit of farming having a strategy, Mr. Tran Van Phuc, Cu Lao Dung commune (Can Tho city) has successfully built the San Tien pink plum brand, a typical model for modern agricultural thinking.

On an area of ​​40 hectares, Mr. Phuc applies the organic growing process according to VietGAP standards, harvesting 350-400 tons of plums each year. The pink plum variety when ripe has a deep pink color, sweet taste, crunchy and suitable for long-distance transportation. The product is welcomed by high-end fruit store chains with a selling price of 230,000 VND/kg, this is a desirable price for Vietnamese agricultural products.

Mr. Phuc shared: "Farming today must be clean and follow safe consumption trends. Only then can we create stable output and long-term value."

Not stopping at fresh products, Mr. Phuc invested in modern preservation, classification and packaging systems, and at the same time developed deeply processed products such as jam, juice and syrup from plums. Thanks to that, the San Tien pink plum brand is not only a local agricultural product but is becoming a typical product of Cu Lao Dung region, protected by intellectual property.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, from the beginning of 2025 until now, the city has focused on implementing the strategy for crop development until 2030, with a vision to 2050, while effectively implementing the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice.

Nowadays, many farmers in Can Tho no longer farm to make ends meet but have turned to farming to get rich with knowledge, technology and professional management. Photo: Le Hung.

Specifically, the city has converted more than 1,100 hectares of ineffective farming land to grow fruit trees, vegetables and aquatic products with higher economic value, while forming concentrated production areas with large fields and stable consumption links.

Can Tho City also encourages people and cooperatives to develop clean, organic, and circular agriculture; supports digital transformation in production management, traceability, and product consumption through e-commerce platforms.

In the coming time, Can Tho City's agricultural sector will continue to restructure the sector towards high added value, develop agricultural value chains associated with agricultural tourism, the OCOP program and expand the application of high technology, digital technology, and smart agriculture.

From the specific models, it can be seen that Can Tho farmers no longer farm for food but have risen to farm to get rich with knowledge, technology and professional management. When farmers know how to innovate their thinking, master technology, they contribute to helping Vietnamese agriculture enter a green, modern and globally integrated era.

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Agriculture and Environment Day and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will organize a series of events from July to December 2025. The focus will be on the 80th anniversary of the Agriculture and Environment sector and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress, held on the morning of November 12, 2025 at the National Convention Center (Hanoi) with more than 1,200 delegates attending. Agriculture and Environment Newspaper will broadcast this event live.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nong-dan-can-tho-doi-moi-tu-duy-lam-nong-chuyen-nghiep-d783659.html