Safe vegetables for Tet holiday

As the Lunar New Year approaches, the atmosphere at Truong Thinh Agricultural Cooperative in Phong Chau ward becomes increasingly busy and bustling. Across the fields, cooperative members are busy tending to and harvesting each row of green vegetables to ensure timely supply for the Tet market – a time when consumer demand is high and product quality and reputation are paramount.

Members of Truong Thinh Agricultural Cooperative harvest carrots to supply the market for the Lunar New Year.

Truong Thinh Agricultural Cooperative was established in 2012 with the goal of linking farmers in Phu Loi village to produce safe vegetables and build a local brand of clean vegetables. After many years of operation, the cooperative has formed a concentrated production area with a synchronized cultivation process, closely monitored from land preparation, planting, caring for the plants to harvesting, processing, and selling. Tet (Lunar New Year) is the "peak season" for the cooperative to demonstrate its capacity to organize large-scale, stable production while ensuring food safety.

Across the sprawling fields, vegetables for the Lunar New Year such as sweet cabbage, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cilantro, carrots, etc., are in their peak harvesting season. The vegetables are planted in staggered cycles and divided into plots strategically, ensuring a stable daily supply for the market. To meet market demands, cooperative members receive training to improve their skills and techniques, mastering safe production processes with strict rules on the use of pesticides and biological and organic fertilizers, contributing to environmental protection and improving the health of both producers and consumers.

Mr. Vu Xuan Phuong, Director of Truong Thinh Agricultural Cooperative, said: "At the beginning of the winter season, we developed a separate production plan for the Tet market, focusing on short-term vegetable varieties that are easy to sell and suitable for people's needs. The cooperative requires its members to strictly adhere to technical procedures and keep complete production logs to ensure traceability. Nowadays, consumers are very concerned about food safety, so even a small oversight can affect the overall reputation of the cooperative."

The cooperative currently collaborates with nearly 60 member households in production, covering a total area of ​​over 40 hectares. The cooperative supplies several schools, businesses, mini-supermarkets, safe agricultural product stores, and collective kitchens both locally and outside the area. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), production increases, but prices remain stable, preventing price spikes at the end of the year and contributing to market stability.

Thanks to the close cooperation between the cooperative and local households, Truong Thinh Agricultural Cooperative is increasingly asserting its position in the market. Many traders and organic food stores have proactively signed contracts to purchase goods early, even placing deposits to secure a stable supply of vegetables throughout the Tet holiday. This is a positive sign, showing that the value chain production approach is proving effective.

Besides the advantages, the production of vegetables for Tet (Lunar New Year) also faces many difficulties, especially unpredictable weather patterns. Severe cold spells and prolonged rain can slow vegetable growth and lead to pest and disease outbreaks. In response to this, the cooperative regularly sends technical staff to the fields to inspect and guide members on methods of covering, drainage, and pest control using biological methods, minimizing the impact on yield and quality.

From lush green vegetable fields, the Trường Thịnh Agricultural Cooperative's production linkage model is opening up an effective path for local farmers. As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, trucks loaded with safe vegetables leave the cooperative, carrying not only fresh produce but also the producers' hope for a bountiful spring. In the hustle and bustle of the year-end, the diligence of the vegetable growers here is contributing to keeping the Tet feast green, clean, and full of flavor.

Hoang Huong

Source: https://baophutho.vn/rau-an-toan-phuc-vu-tet-247796.htm