Cooperatives together build advanced, exemplary new rural areas

Locomotive

Cam Van Commune (Cam Giang) has 149 hectares of specialized vegetable cultivation, of which 140 hectares are used to grow carrots according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards... This locality has reached the advanced new rural area target in 2020. To achieve this result, there is a significant contribution from Cam Van Agricultural Service Cooperative as a leader in agricultural production innovation.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Mich, Director of Cam Van Agricultural Service Cooperative, in recent years, members of the cooperative have contributed about 15 billion VND to upgrade and expand intra-field roads; actively transformed crop structure, accumulated concentrated production land to bring high economic efficiency. The cooperative's carrot and watermelon growing area brings in revenue of 200 - 350 million VND/ha/year, contributing to improving people's lives. Currently, the average income of Cam Van commune is 76 million VND/person/year. In addition, agricultural models also create stable jobs for hundreds of local workers. Up to now, Cam Van commune has basically completed the criteria to reach the model new rural finish line.

In Binh Giang district, Long Xuyen Agricultural Service Cooperative has always been a pioneer in applying mechanization to agricultural production. This is also the unit that has built a large-scale high-quality rice production area in the province. According to Mr. Hoang Huu Bac, Director of Long Xuyen Agricultural Service Cooperative, in the process of building advanced new rural areas, the locality has not encountered many difficulties in terms of production organization and irrigation criteria. Because the cooperative has long built a concentrated commodity production area with 161 hectares of rice cultivation and 69 hectares of aquaculture. Most of these farming areas apply high technology and are linked according to the value chain. The unit itself is also recognized as one of the active and effective cooperatives in the province.

"In addition to their strengths in agriculture, members of the cooperative also actively contribute their efforts and money to upgrade and expand roads, improve cultural, educational and environmental institutions, and contribute to improving people's lives," said Mr. Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Long Xuyen commune.

In 2021, Long Xuyen commune is one of the first three localities to reach the advanced new rural finish line of Binh Giang district.

Build a unique product

In 2005, the An Thanh Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative (Tu Ky) was established with 109 members. Initially, this unit only focused on providing agricultural services to households in the commune. In 2013, realizing that the earthworms and clams in the area outside the dike had a lot of potential, the cooperative mobilized farmers to renovate their fields for the earthworms and clams to live. Rice cultivation was also reduced from 2 crops/year to 1 crop/year and no pesticides were used. The high economic value of earthworms and clams has significantly improved the lives of people in the commune. The earthworm farming area was also expanded from 137 hectares to 330 hectares, with an output of over 300 tons/year. In 2023, the agricultural production value of An Thanh commune reached 450 million VND/ha, 2.3 times higher than the provincial average.

Mr. Pham Xuan Luan, Director of An Thanh Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative, said that the unit has currently developed 3 key products: earthworms, clams and organic rice. Earthworms and clams have been certified as 4-star OCOP products. Nearly 140 hectares of organic rice are also jointly purchased by enterprises and built into a famous brand. Each year, the cooperative supplies the market with about 410 tons of rice grown in the earthworm farming area. The unit is focusing on completing the application for granting codes for rice growing areas and earthworm and clam farming areas in the locality.

Duc Chinh Commune (Cam Giang) is considered the carrot capital of Hai Duong with a growing area of ​​over 360 hectares. Carrots are the province's main agricultural export product in recent years and are the only 4-star OCOP product of Cam Giang district. According to Duc Chinh Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative, the total annual carrot output of the locality reaches nearly 60,000 tons, over 50% of the output is exported, with revenue reaching over 250 billion VND. Thanks to carrots, the economic potential of this locality is quite stable. In 2021, Duc Chinh Commune is one of the first two localities in Hai Duong to reach the model new rural area.

The representative of the Provincial Cooperative Union said that in recent years, the service activities and agricultural models of cooperatives have developed in a diverse and highly interconnected manner, and many traditional occupations have been restored and developed. Cooperative groups and non-agricultural cooperatives have also attracted and created jobs for tens of thousands of workers in rural areas... Up to now, member units of the Provincial Cooperative Union have developed 63 OCOP products, of which 15 products have achieved 4 stars and 48 products have achieved 3 stars...