Hanoi promotes sustainable rice production

The city has supported localities in building large-scale rice farming and encouraged businesses to expand distribution networks in the domestic market and exports.

Hanoi is promoting sustainable rice production as a key solution to meet the growing demand for domestic consumption and exports.

A delegate of the Hanoi’s Department of Agricultural and Rural Development inspects organic farming production at Thach That District. Photo: Anh Ngoc

Organic rice farming in Dong Phu Commune, Chuong My District, is considered one of the examples of rice production under the value chain.

The Director of the Dong Phu Organic Agricultural Cooperative Trinh Thi Nguyet said from the original area of five hectares, the cooperative has now expanded its production area to 40 hectares.

"The entire crop harvested would be later processed and distributed to other provinces/cities, as well as for exports," Nguyet told The Hanoi Times .

According to Nguyet, prices of organic rice are 2.5-3 times higher than other types of rice, for which organic rice crops would gross revenue of over VND160 million (US$7,000) per hectare.

The high demand for organic rice has led to constant production expansion in Chuong My District, and the locality has become the largest producer of the product in Hanoi.

In Ung Hoa District, the local authorities have also been focusing on producing rice of high quality, with the Japanese rice J02 variety being cultivated on over 3,000 hectares per season.

"Large scale production of rice crop would help address the situation of fragmented land. In addition, planting a single strain of rice is making it easier for farmers to prevent pests and diseases and therefore save production costs," Head of the Economics Department at Ung Hoa District Pham Van Hoach told The Hanoi Times .

A report from the municipal Department of Agricultural and Rural Development revealed the total area under rice cultivation in Hanoi is estimated at over 100,000 hectares.

For the past years, the city has been promoting the development of large-scale farming. However, the result has left much to desire, for which the agency pointed out the need for larger investment capital, and stronger linkage between farmers and distributors, among other major issues.

Expanding value chains

Director of the Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center Vu Thi Huong stressed the significance of boosting the linkage between farmers and agricultural businesses to form complete value chains from production to distribution.

"This is the way moving forward to ensure sustainable rice production," Huong said.

Huong added the city is now supporting localities in building large-scale rice production and encourages businesses to take part in the distribution process in the domestic market and exports.

On this issue, Vice Director of Hanoi's Agricultural and Rural Development Nguyen Manh Phuong said the formation of rice value chains has been seen in rural districts of Chuong My, My Duc, Ung Hoa, and Phu Xuyen.

"Hanoi targets to have at least 70% are of organic rice crop under VietGAP standards," Phuong said.

In addition, the city is encouraging farmers to shift to planting rice strains of high demand in the markets by offering more incentives for large-scale rice production, including preferential loans for farmers and businesses.