When farmers join the link chain, big field

​When participating in the link chain, Big field project, the farmer has a stable output, the purchasing unit has the desired source of input materials. This is a model that is being encouraged to be replicated in Trang Bom district.

Harvesting cocoa at the Big Field project, linking production and consumption of cocoa products (An Vien commune, Trang Bom district)

12 production link chain, 2 Big fields

Information from the Trang Bom district Division of Economic said that in the district, there are 12 chains of links in the production and consumption of agricultural products, and 2 big field projects. Building a chain links between producers and purchasing units has brought benefits to both sides, contributing to promoting the development of commodity agriculture in a sustainable way.

Regarding Big field project, currently, both big field projects have enterprises that have signed output offtake contracts with representatives of cooperatives. Specifically, in the Big field project, linking production and consumption of cashew products (An Vien commune), An Vien Agricultural Service Cooperative is the representative unit for more than 300 households signing contracts to sell products to Tuan Sang private enterprise in the district.

With the Big field project, linking production and consumption of cocoa products (An Vien commune), An Vien Agricultural Service Cooperative signed a memorandum of understanding with Bamboo Capital Joint Stock Company to develop cocoa trees intercropped with cashew to improve land use efficiency.

In addition to pledging to purchase all products from households participating in the link chain, these companies also propagate and sell plants and provide technical support to farmers, link with suppliers of fertilizers and pesticides so that people can buy at the original price, build a processing facility in the locality

Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, a cocoa grower in An Vien commune, shared that participating in the Big field project, he was able to buy the company's seeds, supported with planting and caring techniques, and how much the product is harvested, the company buys as much. In addition, the Big field project area is supported to build economical watering system, electricity and roads. As a result, revenue from cocoa interlaced with cashew nut in the 5th year is 4 times higher than that from cashew nut.

As for the link chain, the district has 12 chains signed by farmers and cooperative groups to sell products to businesses and purchasing establishments, of which there are 8 cultivation chains and 4 livestock chains. Typically, the cocoa tree link chain in Trung Hoa commune signed by Trung Hoa Cocoa Cooperation Group to sell products to Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited (Dinh Quan District); a closed chain of chicken raising between Binh Minh Company Limited and raising households in Thanh Binh and Cay Gao communes; chain of pig raising between Dong Nai D&F Food Processing Co., Ltd and farms in Trung Hoa commune…

Mr. Nguyen Van Hong, a member of Trung Hoa Cocoa Cooperative Group, said that for many years, farmers did not worry about unstable output and pressured prices. In addition, the company also allows farmers to "advance" in seedlings, fertilizers, technical support for cultivation and soil and water tests to ensure the quality of input products for export processing, so Mr. quite assured.

Farmers of Trung Hoa Cocoa Cooperative Group listen to associated businesses guide the production process

Develop effective models

Chairman of An Vien Commune Farmers' Association Nguyen Danh Uy said that there are two Big field projects in the commune. Both projects have cooperatives representing farmers to sign sales contracts with enterprises. Thanks to the participation of enterprises, high-yield cashew varieties are planted to replace the old ones, the cashew land is interspersed with cocoa trees, thereby bringing better income for farmers, contributing to the construction of new-style rural area.

According to Mr. Doan Xuan Truong, Head of Trang Bom district Division of Economic, the chain model linking production and consumption, big fields are promoting obvious efficiency, benefits both farmers and cooperatives. In addition, the development of these models also promotes the formation of concentrated production areas, creating competitive goods with similar quality, thereby attracting enterprises to invest in agriculture.

Farmers are supported by the State to invest in infrastructure (economical watering, power lines, and traffice roads) through the program to support concentrated production areas; supported by enterprises to buy plants/seedlings, caring techniques and buy products at the agreed price. The cooperative unit has the desired product, is self-sufficient in input materials for processing and exporting without going through many intermediaries.

However, the agricultural production linkage models also face many difficulties and obstacles. That is, the price of land and input costs (fertilizers, pesticides, animal feed) have increased, agricultural labor is lacking, many households are not interested in agricultural production, leading to difficulty in expanding the link chain, Big field. Preferential policies on agricultural credit are available, but farmers and businesses find it difficult to access because of many binding conditions while the loan amount is small. Some projects have not had a strong connection, easy to "break" the contract

Therefore, the district proposes to the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to support attracting businesses to invest in the field of production, processing and consumption of agricultural products. Simplify conditions for enjoying policies to support linkages in production and consumption of agricultural products. The district continues to propagate farmers to participate in the link chain between farmers and enterprises; scaling up effective agricultural production models. Along with that, organizing training on safe production processes, applying science and technology for households, complexes and cooperatives.