Hi-tech application in rice production

In the process of industrialisation and modernisation of agriculture and rural areas of the country, people's lives in the Mekong Delta, as well as the southern region in general, have been increasingly improved. Therefore, the demand for high-quality rice is increasing.

To meet that the demand, farmers in the provinces of Tien Giang, Long An, and Ben Tre have been focusing on the production of high-quality rice, fragrant rice, and specialty rice. High-tech rice farming aims to further improve the value of rice grains.

High quality "on the throne"

In 2021, Tien Giang farmers sowed 133,000 hectares, reaching 102%. Of which, specialty rice, fragrant rice, and high-quality rice accounted for nearly 90%, an increase of 50% compared to the 2015 crop. The main high-quality rice varieties such as OM6976, OM18, OM380, and Huong Chau 6 accounted for over 40%, while specialty fragrant rice such as Nang Hoa 9, Dai Thom 8, ST24, Jasmine 85, VD20, and OM4900 accounted for nearly 48%.

The majority of farmers in the eastern region of Tien Giang have chosen high-quality rice varieties and specialty fragrant rice to sow and supply to the market. In the 2021-2022 winter-spring crop, high-quality rice varieties and specialty fragrant rice continue to bring higher profits than traditional rice varieties.

In Ben Tre Province, farmers in the three coastal districts of Ba Tri, Binh Dai, and Thanh Phu are growing nearly 10,000 hectares of "clean rice" for export to European countries. In which, Thanh Phu District has about 6,000 hectares of rice production under the model of rice farming in combination with shrimp farming.

In 2016, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) granted a collective trademark certificate of "Thanh Phu clean rice" to 17 households of the Thanh Phu "clean rice" cooperative group in An Nhon Commune.

According to the assessment of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre Province, rice and shrimp farmers earn an average profit of 70-100 million VND per hectare each year. In the coming time, the locality will act as a bridge for cooperatives in the area to sign a contract with Hoa Nang Company (specialising in rice exports) to produce 300 hectares of organic rice for export to Europe.

In Long An, farmers grow 233,000 hectares of rice every yea, with high quality rice and fragrant rice accounting for over 90%. These areas are concentrated in the districts of Tan Thanh, Thanh Hoa, Tan Hung, and Vinh Hung. According to the assessment of the agricultural sector, people are producing high-quality and specialty rice with a value 10-20% higher than regular rice.

It can be said that from the demands of the market, farmers have increasingly focused on cultivating fragrant and specialty rice varieties. They also took advantage of the machinery and equipment put into the field to reduce labour and improve farming efficiency.

Hi-tech application in rice production

Director of Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Man said: The province has implemented many models of "smart rice farming to adapt to climate change" in Long Vinh Commune (Go Cong Tay), including the implementation of the "Mot Phai, Nam Giam" (1 Must, 5 Reductions) model throughout the province, in which producers are encouraged to use certified seed (“1 must”) and achieve five reductions (seed rate, use of fertilizer, water use through alternate wetting and drying of the field, frequency of pesticide application, and post-harvest losses), with a total area of nearly 150 hectares and 120 farmer households participating. The models have contributed to changing farmers' awareness and habits in rice production.

Ben Tre Province is implementing solutions such as propaganda, training, human resource training, planning of rice growing areas; formulating and promulgating policies to support investment in high-tech rice production. At the same time, the province encourages farmers, organisations and individuals to develop hi-tech agriculture; support and create favourable conditions for organisations and individuals, especially enterprises to invest in agricultural production and apply high technology in rice production.

According to the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre Province, the province's development orientation is to gradually build and form a high-tech application of agriculture, with a focus on calling for businesses to sign cooperation agreements with farmers and planning high-tech production areas to meet the needs of partners.

Meanwhile, Long An Province has planned four high-tech agricultural production areas of nearly 7,000 hectares, meeting export standards at Hung Thanh Cooperative, Hung Thanh Commune (Tan Hung); Huong Trang Service, Production and Trade Cooperative, Binh Hoa Trung Commune (Moc Hoa); and Tuyen Binh Tay Cooperative (Vinh Hung) and Phat Loc Cooperative, Nhon Hoa Lap Commune (Tan Thanh). In 2022, Long An will continue to expand its high-tech rice growing areas to meet export standards in six districts and towns, with an area of 1,400 hectares.

Applying high technology to agricultural production, especially rice cultivation, is a superior solution, creating a new direction in the face of the current volatile agricultural situation. In order to achieve the target, Tien Giang, Long An and Ben Tre are promoting the research and application of science and technology, and the reorganisation of production. Thus ensuring the investment roadmap, production process and link production-consumption along the value chain.