Organic agriculture: Early loss, lasting benefit

From the right perspective

The reality of chemically-abusive agriculture calls for the development of new safe, cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly agriculture in which improvements in agroproduction, utilization of organic fertilizers, and reduction of chemical fertilizers are considered the most effective solutions.

According to the Department of Plant Protection, there is a large quantity of by-products in agriculture that can be used to make organic fertilizers at a relatively low cost, such as rice straw in rice production and waste from husbandry and aquaculture.

However, due to a lack of information and difficulties in the collection and treatment process, farmers have yet to make full use of these by-products’ potential.

Following the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) has coordinated with localities to provide training and guidance so that farmers can soon use fertilizers appropriately with high efficiency. The MARD highly suggests an increase in the use of organic fertilizers and organic materials sources to partially replace inorganic fertilizers.

Among localities actively redirecting agriculture, Bac Giang becomes a pioneer in developing organic, safe and high quality agroproduction. With the support of the DPP and related units, Bac Giang's agricultural industry has gradually prospered. Many agricultural products have created their own brand identity and attained a strong foothold in domestic and foreign markets.

Bac Giang - a prime example

Farmers in Bac Giang are currently using two groups of organic fertilizers, including traditional organic fertilizers (animal, plant and other organic waste) and industrial organic fertilizers. Local households quickly see that organic fertilizers not only help provide nutrients for plants but also help improve humus content and soil microflora as well as reduce leaching and evaporation. Fertilizer’s usage efficiency has been greatly improved.

The organic pomelo model of Trung Sau Sweet Grapefruit Cooperative (Cau Thay village, An Thuong commune, Yen The district) is a prime example of organic fertilizer usage in intensive citrus cultivation bringing high yield and high quality products.

"Using organic fertilizers helps plants grow and develop very well with few harmful pests. We almost have to be concerned only with the disease prevention stage. The quality of pomelos has improved greatly, so the selling price is reasonably higher. My family sells 10,000 pomelos at the market each year with an average price of VND 50,000/fruit (weighing 1-1.5 kg), earning VND 500 million (excluding expenses)," said Mr. Pham Nhu Trung, director of the cooperative.

Organic farming has helped his family keep the farm environment fresh, so Mr. Pham Nhu Trung had taken that advantage to raise bees for honey, both to increase the tree’s pollination efficiency and to open up to another source of income.

In a similar manner, the family of Ms. Hoang Thi Thang in Ven village, Xuan Luong commune, Yen The district, a member of Than Truong cooperative, is also taking the lead in using organic fertilizers on tea plants, yielding very positive results.

“Tea is becoming a crop that can bring great profits to my family as well as households in the village. The market's requirements for product quality are becoming more and more stringent. If production is not guaranteed, Yen The tea products will hardly have a place in the market.”

For organic farming, the core factor is to be very persistent because it takes time to improve the soil and add organic nutrients to the soil.

In the first one to two years, tea yield may decrease by 20-30%. However, from the following years onwards, when the soil is supplemented with enough nutrients, it will become porous, rich in humus, and abundant in microflora. The plant's roots will grow healthy and absorb nutrients at a higher rate. The yield will thus be restored. In fact in good farming areas the yield can increase by approximately 10%. The tea leaves will be thicker, tea buds plump and fresh for a long time. The tree’s exploitation period will also be prolonged.