Farmers increase their income from rice production thanks to the 1 million hectare project.

Farmer Nguyen Van Phuc stands beside his rice crop, ready for harvest.

By the end of April 2025, over 90% of the winter-spring rice crop had been harvested (61,600 hectares planted); the average yield reached 6.75 tons/ha. Specifically, the area of ​​rice produced under the Project covered over 883 hectares, including 2 pilot models with an area of ​​98.4 hectares (Phat Tai Agricultural Cooperative 48.4ha; Phuoc Hao Agricultural Cooperative 50ha) and a replication model with 14 participating cooperatives totaling 785 hectares (Cang Long district 69.72ha, Cau Ke 105ha, Tieu Can 210ha, Chau Thanh 215ha, Cau Ngang 70ha and Tra Cu 115ha). In general, for the rice areas within the Project, yields were equal to or higher than those outside the model, and income increased by 20-25%.

Mr. Kien Tam, Director of Viet Thanh Agricultural Cooperative in Hoa An commune, Cau Ke district, said: "With the current drop in rice prices, farmers are facing many difficulties and their incomes are decreasing. However, for cooperative members producing rice under the Project, thanks to reduced costs, after deducting expenses, members of the cooperative producing rice under the Project (51 households/51.3 hectares; yield in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop reached 7.5 tons/ha, an increase of 0.5 tons/ha) have seen their income increase by approximately 2 million VND/ha. Based on this success, in the 2025 summer-autumn rice crop, we plan to expand the participation of non-cooperative members in rice production under the Project, increasing the area by about 50 hectares, bringing the total area to over 110 hectares."

Farmer Nguyen Van Phuc, a member of Phuoc Hao Agricultural Cooperative in Phuoc Hao commune, Chau Thanh district, shared: "This year's winter-spring rice crop has been very exciting for the cooperative members. Although rice prices have decreased, all members participating in the rice production project have earned high incomes. My family alone cultivated 1.5 hectares of ST 24 rice and received a guaranteed purchase price of 9,600 VND/kg, with a yield of about 8 tons/ha; farmers earned approximately 50 million VND/ha. Compared to cultivating other rice varieties and not following the project's procedures, rice growers only earned about 20-22 million VND/ha."

Mr. Tran Van Chung, Director of Phat Tai Agricultural Cooperative (Thanh My commune, Chau Thanh district), said: the rice yield of cooperative members participating in the Project is quite high, ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 tons/ha, with the OM5451 variety. Thanks to reduced production costs: pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation, etc., profits increased by 2-2.5 million VND/ha, reaching 35-37 million VND/ha. In the 2025 summer-autumn rice crop, the cooperative plans to expand the area outside its members by approximately 50 hectares.

Comrade Le Van Dong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Tra Vinh province, said: the implementation of the Project in Tra Vinh province has yielded very positive results. Initial results show that changes in production techniques such as reducing seed quantity, alternating wet and dry irrigation, balanced fertilizer use, synchronized mechanization, straw management, and the application of digital technology have helped reduce costs, improve rice grain quality, increase income, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From the two pilot cooperatives participating in the Project, the technical procedures in cultivation according to the handbook "Technical procedures for producing high-quality and low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta" have been successfully applied. This has led to the expansion of the Project to 16 participating cooperatives.

Farmers in Song Loc commune, Chau Thanh district, are drying their rice crop from the 2024-2025 winter-spring season.

According to Comrade Le Van Dong, given the climate change situation and fierce competition for rice products in the market, rice production is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, reorganizing the production system according to the value chain, and simultaneously strengthening the application of sustainable farming processes adapted to climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the income and living standards of rice farmers, ensuring national food security, stabilizing society, and enhancing the quality and reputation of Vietnamese rice products in the world market... are among the important issues that require a rapid change in mindset in production. Therefore, rice production under the Project needs to be expanded and spread on a large scale throughout the province, requiring a solid, efficient production organization system that is closer to farmers than ever before.

Text and photos: Huu Hue

Source: https://www.baotravinh.vn/kinh-te/nong-dan-tang-thu-nhap-trong-san-xuat-lua-tu-de-an-01-trieu-hec-ta-45787.html