Extended organic rice road: pioneering cooperative planting of over 100 acres of organic rice

Note from the Editorial Board: Several Mekong Delta collective organizations are pursuing organic rice cultivation. Organic rice is a global trend in addition to various factors such as high selling price, health safety, environmental friendliness, and so on.

This series will present organic rice farming practices that are prospering in the Mekong Delta region. These exemplary models will be a driving force in executing the "Sustainable Development of 1 million high-quality and low-emission rice, attaching to green growth in the Mekong Delta."

Obtaining a number of worldwide organic certifications

The transition from conventional rice farming to organic rice farming began in Trung Ngai commune, Vung Liem district, Vinh Long, in 2014.

Doan Van Tai, Director of Tan Dat Agricultural Production - Service Cooperative, is a trailblazer in allowing organic rice seeds to adhere to the roots and survive on this terrain. He has held the distinction of "Excellent Vietnamese Farmer" for multiple years.

Tan Dat Agricultural Production - Service Cooperative is one of the few cooperatives that has created a raw material region of 100 hectares grow organic with 65 members involved in production. Around 30 hectares are certified organic according to four top worldwide standards: USDA, EU, JAS, and COR, with the main force rice varieties being ST24 fragant rice, Dai Thom 8, OM4900, and Tan Dat herbal violet rice.

The cooperative established a monopoly trademark of "Tan Dat organic rice," with products packaged and vacuumed in a variety of sizes ranging from 1kg to 5kg per box and marked with origin traceability. As a result, the cooperative's rice consumption market has grown significantly. Tan Dat organic rice is preferred by businesses and receives a large volume of orders in addition to supplying clean agricultural rice, organic agricultural shops, and distributors in Vinh Long province.

Due to the cooperative's manufacturing in accordance with organic standards, rice products range in price from 30,000 to 40,000 VND (depending on kind). On a regular basis, the cooperative delivers around 15 tons of rice in various sorts to businesses.

Doan Van Tai, Director of the Cooperative, initiated the formation of the Vinh Long Provincial Rice Cooperative Alliance in 2019 in response to rising market demand for organic rice products and insufficient supply from agricultural cooperatives. Initially, the alliance was made up of six member cooperatives from areas such as Vung Liem, Tam Binh, and Tra On, which were largely involved in seedling propagation and certified seed consumption, manufacturing high-quality organic rice, and offering complete agricultural services.

Mr. Tai was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vinh Long Rice Cooperative Alliance for the 2019-2024 period. To far, the partnership has planted 400 hectares of rice, with a considerable chunk shifting to organic agriculture gradually. The plan is to develop organic rice production to 30-40 hectares for export to difficult markets.

Tan Dat Agricultural Production and Services Cooperative has produced several herbal rice products, including as purple rice and herbal brown rice farmed using organic methods, to broaden their product line.

In terms of purple rice, Tai stated that he identified this kind in Nghe An. Initially, the rice's features were hard and poor in production, making it unsuited for the heat and soil conditions of the Mekong Delta. Mr. Tai successfully produced a unique type of soft purple rice with a yield ranging from 450 to 500 kg per 1,000 square meters after years of organic agriculture trials and selective breeding.

Purple rice, in particular, has a high nutritious content, making it excellent for those with diabetes and joint problems. Purple rice is also dried and finely powdered to make herbal rice powder. The cooperative intends to introduce herbal rice bran or other sorts of cakes manufactured from this unique herbal purple rice in the future.

Tan Dat's herbal purple rice product is currently recognized at the provincial level as an exceptional rural industrial product and carries a 4-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) accreditation. This rice type was listed in the "Delicious Vietnamese Rice" list at the Vietnam Rice Festival IV at the end of 2019.

Educating other villages about organic rice growing

Doan Van Tai reflects on the serendipity that led to the road of organic rice production, recalling the year 2011 when climate change made the weather more difficult. Pest infestations made rice growing difficult for his family and many other farmers in Trung Ngai commune.

Access to scientific and technological information, as well as improved rice farming techniques, was limited throughout this time period. Those seeking high production resorted to spraying different chemical pesticides and applying enormous volumes of inorganic fertilizer, resulting in high prices and environmental soil contamination that hampered rice plant development.

Mr. Tai sought to create a more sustainable farming technique, producing safe rice and increasing the value of rice harvests in light of these obstacles. He chose to embark on an organic rice growing adventure, visiting provinces around the Mekong Delta and Central area to learn from successful methods. Over a decade ago, farmers found it difficult to do research and experiment with organic rice growing due to the time and expenses needed.

Mr. Tai attempted to cultivate 1,000 square meters of land using organic methods, but all attempts failed owing to the lack of chemical fertilizers, which resulted in bug assaults. He sought advice from Mekong Delta Rice Institute specialists and scientists, as well as institutions in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

The model's achievement was celebrated in 2014. Tai then increased the experimental organic rice production to 2,000 square meters, then 1 hectare, and ultimately all 3 hectares of the family's agricultural property. Tai planned visits and explained the method and economic benefits of organic rice farming to farmers in the hamlet and commune in order to disseminate the model to other farmers.

This was also a significant basis for the Tan Dat Agricultural Production and Services Cooperative's creation. Cooperative members concentrate on planting organic fragrant rice varieties to offer a consistent supply of raw materials for businesses and industries.

Furthermore, the cooperative's service activities employ around 65 regular workers locally, with a high of 80 during the harvest season, with a minimum monthly pay of 4.5 million VND.