Increase rice quality to sell at high prices instead of adding more crops

Many experts suggest increasing the value of rice grains and utilizing agricultural by-products instead of increasing crops and chasing output, which carries many risks.

The idea of increasing the crop was proposed by Professor Vo Tong Xuan in the context of high rice prices, farmers' profits nearly doubled compared to before. As a leading agricultural scientist in Vietnam, Mr. Xuan said that with improved production levels, application of science and technology, short-term varieties can help farmers have 4 crops a year, increasing income. However, the addition of crops needs to be applied appropriately to each locality, and should only be done in years of extreme weather, with the risk of food shortage.

However, some people disagree with the proposal to increase the number of rice crops by 4, but reduce the number of rice crops, and intercropping will be more effective. Specifically, instead of producing three rice crops as before, some farmers in Tam Nong district, Dong Thap province, switched to growing two rice crops, one fish crop, and combined them with opening tourist attractions during the flood season. The 20-hectare field has just planted ST 25 rice, and the owner has released a flock of ducks to kill pests. Farmers have gradually switched to organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers, helping the soil to be healthy, and rice yields have gradually increased after each crop.

Growing rice combined with raising ducks and fish helps farmers have a stable income without having to produce three crops a year. Photo: Tran Thanh — Growing rice combined with raising ducks and fish helps farmers have a stable income without having to produce three crops a year. Photo: *Tran Thanh*

Mr. Lam Trong Nghia, Deputy Director of the Tam Nong District Agricultural Service Center, said that after more than a year of implementation, the results showed that farmers reduced 20-25% of production costs due to the reduction of fertilizers and pesticides (from 6-8 sprayings to 3-4 times). Clean rice was purchased by businesses, with prices 1,000 VND per kg higher than the market price, raising profits per crop to 35 million VND per hectare.

In addition, at the end of each crop, farmers earn an additional 20 million VND from selling ducks, and use the straw to make mushrooms. After two rice crops, the landowner lets the land rest and attracts wild fish to raise, combining it with opening a tourist spot during the flood season, experiencing cuisine from freshwater fish, rustic dishes... As a result, the profit from fish and tourism adds more than 200 million VND. "Farmers participating in the model understand that reducing costs and utilizing multiple sources of income will give a more sustainable income than chasing output," said Mr. Nghia.

A report by the World Bank (WB) on the topic of green agriculture shows that switching from monoculture of rice to intercropping (aquaculture, fruits, vegetables) brings higher income to farmers. Specifically, the landowner only earns 40-50 million VND profit per year per hectare of rice, but it will double if intercropping rice - vegetables, rice - aquatic products, and at the same time create more jobs.

"450,000-550,000 hectares of rice land in the Mekong Delta can be converted to alternative uses or rotation of rice, other crops and aquaculture without much impact on the region's overall rice production," the WB said.

Western farmers harvest rice. Photo: Nguyet Nhi — Western farmers harvest rice. Photo: *Nguyet Nhi*

Increasing quality to sell rice at higher prices is also being targeted by some businesses instead of increasing the number of crops. Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Nam, Director of Trung An Kien Giang High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company, said that 10 years ago, businesses were aware of producing delicious, high-quality rice with strict standards from importers.

Thanks to the above professional approach, Trung An Kien Giang's rice always sells at a good price. The company also signed contracts to supply materials and guarantee output for thousands of hectares with farmers in Kien Giang and Dong Thap provinces. At the end of the season, the company committed to buying rice at a price 300 VND per kilogram higher than the market price. "Rice exported to Europe or the US is 40-50% higher, even double that of other markets. The important thing is to maintain reputation for long-term business," said Mr. Nam.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhi, former Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province, who is devoted to agriculture, shared that in addition to export, the domestic market also prefers delicious, high-quality rice. "The time of having enough to eat and warm clothes is over. Domestic consumers are willing to spend more money to eat better, healthier rice," he said, adding that to sell rice at a high price, in addition to transparency in the production process, businesses need to take care and build their brand.

Increasing the value of rice is also the consistent viewpoint of the project to sustainably develop one million hectares of high-quality rice, which is being implemented in the Mekong Delta. The project offers solutions for sustainable farming, including: reducing seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water; making use of straw and building a brand for exported rice... The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development expects that by 2030, one million farmers will participate in the project, increasing profits by 50% compared to before.

Ngoc Tai - Hoang Nam

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