The 6s standards and organic rice production in Vietnam

Rice - shrimp farming area

Many rice businesses have established their own raw rice production areas in the Mekong Delta. Most notably, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. has chosen to pioneer in standard organic rice production to meet consumer demand.

The company has cooperated with agricultural cooperatives in the region to form a controlled and standardized rice growing area to ensure safe, clean and organic rice products with increased value.

Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. aims to invest in the rice - shrimp farming area along the west coast of the Mekong Delta. With years of experience in developing a plant seed trading service network, Rice Shrimp Co., Ltd was established in An Giang at the end of 2018. The company established the long-term goals of: strengthening the connection of value chains, improving the efficiency of rice-shrimp farming, and creating a sustainable rice-shrimp ecosystem in the Mekong Delta.

Mr. Huynh Chi Phuong, Director of Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. acknowledged that climate change is affecting saltwater intrusion in the coastal area of ​​the Mekong Delta as well as the livelihood of rice farmers. In order to adapt, farmers have converted to a production model consisting of 1 rice crop and 1 shrimp crop per year instead of 2 rice crops per year. Farmers collect saline water in the dry season for shrimp farming. Conversely, farmers store rainwater in the rainy season to wash away saltwater and grow rice in combination with freshwater prawn farming. Rice and shrimp are produced with highest quality and safety. The company aims to develop towards building consumer trust and awareness regarding green products, health and environmental protection.

After multiple effective certified rice crops that meet all production criteria, the majority of member farmers in production cooperatives agree that: Organic rice farming is not difficult and any farmer can accomplish it.

Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. has established production linkage for the rice - shrimp farming area in Kien Giang province. The linked area spans 560 hectares across 4 cooperatives, including Phu My and Phu Loi in Giang Thanh district, Nam Quy in An Bien district, and Thanh Yen in U Minh Thuong district. Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. has identified two main product lines: 42 hectares of USDA-certified rice production and the remaining area is reserved for organic production under the rice-shrimp model following European safe rice standards.

Creating a brand image and opening the market

From locating and setting up raw material areas for organic rice production to creating a brand image, the organic rice brand has achieved international standard certification. Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. presents 6 standards (6S) that constitute the unique flavor of shrimp rice:

S1 (Seed): the company uses certified grade seeds (i.e: ST24, ST25, ST purple varieties) provided by Ho Quang company to create pure rice grains.

S2 (Soil): the soil in the rice - shrimp farming area inherits organic nutrients from shrimp farming, so the rice plants are healthy; the rice is fragrant and sweet.

S3 (Skill): farming skills are taught by engineer Ho Quang Cua - the father of the ST fragrant rice variety. The acquired skills are combined with farmers' rice production experience.

S4 (Standard): shrimp rice is produced according to EU safety standards as well as various organic standards from the US (USDA), the EU, and Japan (JAS).

S5 (Storage): post-harvest rice is dried to retain a moisture content of 13%, ensuring longer storage. Shrimp Rice products are package and vacuum sealed to preserve the taste and softness of rice.

S6 (Sustainability): sustainability of farmers' livelihoods and sustainability in environmental protection are a major focus in shrimp rice production.

For the past 2 years, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. has produced nutrient-rich and USDA-certified organic ST purple rice. Production areas are thoroughly controlled and inspected. Farmers that produce this variety are guaranteed an average purchase price of 12,000 VND per kilogram, which is 7,000 - 7,500 VND higher compared to regular rice production. The organic ST purple rice features high nutritional value, excellent health benefits so this product is marketed towards dieters.

According to a rice seed production and trading business in Soc Trang, the rice-shrimp production area in the Ca Mau peninsula will be expanded further for the 2022-2023 winter-spring crop. The organic rice production area is currently limited to 535 hectares. Production costs to achieve organic rice certification standards are high, so costs remain a significant challenge in establishing organic rice production areas.

Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. reportedly produced 30 tons of organic ST purple rice for the 2022-2023 winter-spring rice crop. The company has exported this batch of nutrient-rich rice to the German market for 1,200 EUR/ton. In the domestic market, this rice product is frequently sold in 900-gram boxes for a price of 68,000 VND/box. The USDA-certified organic ST purple rice product and the Rice Shrimp brand are currently distributed in Can Tho city and Ho Chi Minh City.

The company plans to invest in developing processing technology to produce nutritious instant rice for consumers. Moreover, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. designed and opened a program of Rural Tours, where visitors to Kien Giang province can tour the organic rice production area and explore the local shrimp - rice model. Tourists can listen to farmers' stories about rice cultivation and shrimp farming, as well as participate in shrimp and fish harvesting in the field.

Dr. Nguyen Cong Thanh from the Asian Organic Agriculture Research and Development Institute (AOI) highlighted that the shrimp - rice model brings high and sustainable profits. It is possible to expand the model area in Mekong Delta to over 250,000 hectares. Accordingly, the model is expected to produce roughly 800,000 to 1 million tons of rice, and 100,000 tons of raw clean shrimp every year.