Agricultural products regain consumer confidence

(Chinhphu.vn) - On September 23, Tien Phong Newspaper organized a discussion on "Improving the quality and safety of domestic agricultural products, winning over consumers". Here, experts and managers presented many current situations and solutions to improve quality, towards green, safe and sustainable agriculture.

To have safe food, the root must start from production - Photo: VGP/Do Huong

Safe production: The root of agricultural product quality

At the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Quy Duong, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), informed that currently, food safety management is assigned to three ministries: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

In the field of cultivation, production is the most important factor in ensuring food safety. Vietnam currently has about 10 million farming households with 1.15 million hectares of vegetables and about 1.3 million hectares of fruit trees. This supply not only serves domestic consumption but also for export, so product quality is always of special concern to both domestic consumers and import markets.

According to Mr. Duong, if you want safe food, the root must start from production. Since 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has issued regulations and encouraged production according to VietGAP standards, then the Government also has support policies. Currently, there are two main certification systems: VietGAP and GlobalGAP, however, these are not mandatory regulations but only incentives, towards promoting safe production, protecting public health and the ecological environment.

However, the current production area according to standards is still very modest. According to the results of a five-year survey, announced in 2024, the total area certified by VietGAP is only about 150,000 hectares for 6 groups of crops, of which vegetables alone only reach more than 8,000 hectares out of a total of 1.15 million hectares - less than 1% (about 0.5 - 0.6%). For fruit trees, the area planted according to VietGAP standards is about 76,000 hectares; tea is about 5,200 hectares.

If other certifications are included, including GlobalGAP, the total area is about 440,000 hectares. Of which, vegetables are only over 8,400 hectares, and fruit trees are about 78,000 hectares. This is a very modest number compared to the current production scale and consumption demand. Vegetables - a product used by people every day, mainly for domestic consumption - have an extremely low rate of production according to safety standards. As for fruits, the certified area is larger but mainly for export.

Mr. Duong said that since 2012, although there has been a policy to encourage the development of VietGAP and similar standards, after more than 10 years, the actual area is still too small. In addition to VietGAP, there is currently a form of commitment to safe production signed directly by farmers with product consumers, but the scale is still small and scattered.

Need for transparent standards and market control

Mr. Nguyen Van Muoi, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, emphasized that consumers are most concerned about chemical residues. Therefore, plant protection agencies need to manage more closely, only allowing the purchase of drugs by prescription, because the quarantine period for each type can last for weeks or months. If producers lack awareness, the risk will fall on consumers.

Regarding the market, there are currently three main consumption channels: modern retail, traditional markets and small retail stores. While supermarkets and traditional markets are still under control, small retail and sidewalk outlets are very difficult. It is necessary to develop concentrated points of sale and limit widespread sales.

Mr. Muoi noted that many farmers supply tens, hundreds of tons of vegetables each year but do not have adequate safety management measures. This is a loophole that needs to be tightened, both in production and retail.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, a biotechnology and food expert, said that relying solely on a control mechanism is not feasible because the management force is not enough. It is necessary to encourage farmers to self-control and raise awareness. Farmers do not want to harm their fellow countrymen, but often lack knowledge. Therefore, functional agencies, farmers' associations, women's associations, etc. must get involved to propagate and provide specific instructions, such as which types of fertilizers and pesticides are allowed to be used.

If farmers know but still deliberately violate, it is an illegal act. Therefore, it is necessary to combine control and education , so that farmers do the right thing, avoid using floating products that lead to substandard goods, such as watermelon, durian, dragon fruit...

We need cooperation to make agricultural products "delicious and healthy"

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh emphasized that in order for people to truly enjoy safe and quality agriculture, many parallel measures need to be implemented, from management to raising awareness of producers. According to him, the core can be summarized in two factors: agricultural products must be "delicious and healthy". "Delicious" means meeting the needs of flavor and nutritional value; and "healthy" means safe, without chemical residues, ensuring the health of consumers. This is not only a legitimate desire of society but also a prerequisite for Vietnamese agricultural products to build reputation, expand markets and affirm their brands.

When agricultural products meet standards and are trusted by domestic and foreign consumers, farmers will have the opportunity to increase their income, the agricultural sector will develop sustainably and thereby contribute significantly to the overall development of the country.

Do Huong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/thuc-pham-nong-san-lay-lai-niem-tin-nguoi-tieu-dung-102250923154232488.htm