Dong Nai (VNS/VNA) - The pooling offields to create large-scale fields and cooperatives for growing clean producein southern Dong Nai province has benefited farmers and companies.

While most pepper farmers in the province havesuffered losses for the past two years because of the sharp decline in prices,more than 750 households growing pepper in Cam My district have earned profitsby pooling their lands.

The Lam San Agriculture Cooperative in Lam San communeexports the spice to the EU.    

Nguyen Van Quang, one of the members, said the cooperativeguarantees purchase of the entire pepper output at 10,000 – 20,000 VND akilogramme higher than the market price.

Thus, the households do not suffer losses thoughpepper prices have fallen, he said.

Under the large-scale field model, farmers withcontiguous lands grow the same crop using the same techniques and schedules andare instructed by a company or, a cooperative (if they are members).   

Nguyen Quy Tan, whose land has been part of alarge-scale cacao field in Dinh Quan district’s Gia Canh commune for threeyears, said since joining he had not been worried about prices.

The Trong Duc Cacao Products Limited Company,which helped establish the large-scale field, pays him 1,000 – 2,000 VND higherthan market prices per kilo, he said.

In the past cacao prices had been volatile andsometimes fell by 2,000 VND a kilogramme, he said.  

If the company had not overseen the setting up ofthe large-scale field, he would cut down his cacao trees to plant other crops,he said. “After I tied up with the company, I feel secure.”

Huynh Thanh Vinh, Director of the provincialDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the establishment oflarge-scale fields and cooperatives to grow clean crops yielded positiveresults. However, their number in the province was not large, he said.

He attributed this to farmers and companies notachieving benefits, the lack of markets, insufficient support from theauthorities, and the small size and scattered nature of farm lands.

Dong Nai has 18 large-scale fields with a totalarea of nearly 6,000ha pooled by around 5,000 participating households,according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Thearea accounts for 2 percent of the province’s arable lands.

To ensure sustainable development of agriculture,the province has called on farmers and companies to strengthen their cooperationand simplified access to preferential credit and land policies.

It will also co-operate with other agencies toprovide farmers, cooperatives and companies with market information, especiallyabout key local agricultural produce.  

"When authorities do a good job offorecasting the market, companies and co-operatives know precisely about themarket’s demand and strengthen collaboration with farmers to set up large-scalefields to grow the crops that are in demand," Vinh said.

The province plans to help managers ofco-operatives acquire management skills and participate in trade promotionactivities in the country and abroad.-VNS/VNA