The role of cooperatives in agricultural production and consumption

Members of Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative, Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district, share longan care techniques.

Currently, Song Ma district has 75 cooperatives, nearly 800 members, operating mainly in the fields of agriculture - forestry - fishery, with a total charter capital of nearly 100 billion VND. Revenue is estimated at 1 billion VND/cooperative/year. Ms. Lo Thi Bach, Head of the district's Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: Cooperatives play an important role in transforming the structure of crops and livestock, transferring science and technology, and applying high technology to production. The whole district currently has 52 cooperatives producing safe fruits according to VietGAP process, with an area of over 982 hectares, an output of over 14,400 tons; 1,000 hectares of fruit trees according to the high-tech application model; 1,000 hectares of organic production; maintaining 50 growing area codes, of which 12 growing longan area codes are exported to the US market; 25 growing longan and mango area codes are exported to the Chinese market; 13 longan growing area codes for export to Australia and New Zealand markets, total area over 710 hectares.

Grasping market trends, cooperatives proactively innovate their operating methods; dynamically connect and form linkage chains between farmers and businesses, with 8 product development linkage chains; 31 safe agricultural product supply chains; 10 growing area codes, with an area of 182 hectares; contributing to increasing the total area certified by VietGAP to more than 600 hectares; 72 hectares of crops applying water-saving and humidification technology; building 5 OCOP products.

Bao Minh Agricultural Service Cooperative, Chieng Khoong Commune, has 13 members, growing 50 hectares of fruit trees, mainly longan, mango, and grapefruit. The entire fruit tree area of the Cooperative is grown according to VietGAP standards, with an output of 350 tons/year, products consumed in domestic supermarkets and exported to the Chinese market. In the 2024 longan crop, the Cooperative achieved a revenue of over 3.5 billion VND, creating jobs for 150 local workers; the average income of members reached nearly 300 million VND/year.

Members of Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative, Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district, carry out mango packaging.

Mr. Le Danh Phuc, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, said: The Cooperative focuses on building brands, tracing product origins, connecting with businesses and large supermarkets to bring agricultural products into the modern distribution system. In the coming time, the Cooperative will expand its consumption market, sign cooperation agreements with distribution units in the Central region, to stably consume longan, mango, and grapefruit products for members.

Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative, Na Nghiu Commune, owned by veterans, is gradually asserting its core role in the fruit tree production area. Currently, the cooperative has 17 members, growing 45 hectares of longan, mango, and grapefruit, supplying about 400 tons of fresh fruit to the market each year.

Mr. Duong Tu Thanh, Director of Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative, shared: The Cooperative invested in building a dried mango production workshop, helping to increase product value, extend preservation time, and expand the market. The Cooperative's dried mango products are recognized as achieving 3-star OCOP. In addition, the Cooperative also purchases cassava and corn from farmers, providing raw materials for processing factories in and outside the province.

Cooperative economy increasingly affirms its important role in the socio-economic development of Song Ma district, contributing to increasing income and improving the lives of members and people; at the same time promoting the restructuring of the agricultural sector towards modernity and sustainability.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/vai-tro-cua-htx-trong-san-xuat-tieu-thu-nong-san-VWEsbofNR.html