Dong Thap Standing Deputy Secretary Phan Van Thang Works with Hung Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative

(DTO) On March 25, Mr. Phan Van Thang, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Thap Province, paid a working visit to Hung Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative in Vinh Huu Commune. 

Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, along with representatives of provincial departments, sectors and local authorities.
 

Deputy Secretary Phan Van Thang conducted a field survey of the rice crops belonging to the cooperative's member households. Overall, the rice crops are developing well and are nearing harvest, with an estimated yield of approximately 1 ton per 1,000 m2.

The cooperative’s Board of Directors reported on its recent performance. Accordingly, Hung Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative has 114 members with charter capital of VND 111 million. It supplies agricultural inputs to 65 households, covering an area of 89.5 hectares. Cooperative members are cultivating high-quality rice varieties such as ST25, VD20, LT28, HP1 and Dai Thom 8.

The cooperative has also established linkages with enterprises to purchase high-quality commercial rice, offering price premiums—an additional VND 500/kg for ST25 and LT28, and VND 300/kg for HP1. This stable purchasing mechanism, along with contract-based procurement and advance deposits, has been widely adopted by farmers, helping them avoid price pressure from traders and ensuring more secure production.

Based on the report of Hung Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative, Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien emphasized that instead of focusing solely on trading activities, the cooperative should develop a comprehensive plan to build strong linkages with enterprises. Particularly for the rice sector, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee affirmed that high value can only be achieved through proper brand development, from seed selection and production processes to clear product traceability. The cooperative should not only expect to raise selling prices, but more importantly must build a value chain to optimize production processes, thereby reducing production costs to the lowest possible level and creating sustainable competitive advantages.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Phan Van Thang requested departments and local authorities to review planned garden land areas and ineffective production areas. The commune authorities were urged to strengthen state management in production planning, especially within cooperatives, ensuring appropriate production zoning and avoiding fragmented production. In addition, it is necessary to invest in production infrastructure and irrigation systems, and to address saltwater intrusion in order to reduce dependence on natural conditions.

He also stressed that departments and localities should enhance communication and advocacy efforts, and carefully evaluate the effectiveness of production models, avoiding short-term gains in favor of long-term, sustainable development. At the same time, he requested relevant sectors to pay due attention to organizing safe and clean production with competitive costs, while further evaluating cooperative operations and promoting diversified service development. He assigned the Provincial People’s Committee of Dong Thap Province to conduct surveys of several cooperatives in the province and organize a conference on cooperative development in the near future.

By CAO THANG
Translated by X.QUANG