Tra Vinh (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has encouraged farmers toexpand environmentally friendly organic rice fields that haveimproved the quality of rice and soil fertility.

In CauNgang, more than 100 farmers in Cau Ngang’s My Hoa, Kim Hoa, Vinh Kim and HiepHoa communes signed a contract in 2017 with a company to grow organic rice on atotal area of 82ha.

The companyprovided farmers with techniques such as sowing, fertilising, diseasemanagement and harvest methods. The company also supplied materials, and itguaranteed outlets for the farmers.

In the firstorganic rice crop, the farmers earned a profit of 30 million VND (1,300 USD)per hectare per crop, up 6 million VND (260 USD) compared to normal farmingmethods.

Organic ricefields use less fertiliser and do not use chemicals. Farmers can alsobreed aquatic species in ditches in the rice fields to earn additional income,or rotate rice and aquatic species on the same fields. 

Thach Mara,who has planted organic rice in Hiep Hoa commune since 2017, said rice grownunder organic standards develops well and adapts to climate change.  

Inhis first crop, his 0.4ha rice field had a yield of 6 tonnes per ha, upone tonne compared to traditional farming methods. He expandedthe organic rice area to 0.7ha this year.

Tran HongNghiep, an agricultural official in Hiep Hoa, said to encourage farmers to groworganic rice, the commune guarantees outlets for farmers and link themwith others who produce organic rice.

The commune’sorganic rice cooperative group has called on farmers to join the group which can easily link up with companiesand access government support policies.

The groupnow has 49 members who grow a total of 52ha of organic rice.

Its memberswho rotate organic rice cultivation and black tiger shrimp or giant river prawnbreeding on their rice fields earn a profit of 50 - 60 million VND (2,200- 2,600 USD) per ha for each shrimp crop. 

Nguyen NgocHai, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, said that farmers, companies and the State have developed linkagesunder the organic model, which has improved the value and quality of theprovince’s rice.

Besides thehealth benefits of organic food, organic farming improves soil fertilityand protects aquatic resources.  

Tra Vinhgrows more than 200,000ha of rice each year, but has only a fewhundred ha of rice planted under organic standards.

The coastalprovince plans to increase its organic rice area to 1,000ha by the end of thisyear and to 2,500ha by 2030, according to the department./.