HÀ NỘI — According to the Director of Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Dương Thanh Tùng, from now until 2025, the locality will promote the reorganisation of agricultural production along the value chain from production to processing and product consumption, promoting the leading role of businesses and cooperatives.

The province aims to establish an average of 20-30 new agricultural cooperatives annually by 2025. Efforts will be made to enhance the operational quality of existing agricultural cooperatives, targeting a yearly increase of 2% in the number of effective cooperatives. The objective is to fully address issues related to the ineffective operation or cessation of activities of agricultural cooperatives.

A farmer checks orchids in a greenhouse at the Organic Production, Trade and Service Cooperative. Photo VNS

Tùng highlighted the region's focus on guiding and supporting farmers to form cooperatives, groups and efficient management systems. The aim is to create a favourable environment for agricultural business investments. The province plans to replicate successful production models and value chains, establishing connections between similar areas to boost product volume and quality. This strategy aims to increase competition and yield higher economic returns.

In the coming period, Bắc Giang will continue supporting farmers in enhancing production efficiency, market and capital access, machinery procurement, and technology adoption. The province aims for professionalisation, increased production scale, and active participation in cooperatives and value chains. Support is also provided for farming households transitioning to non-agricultural ventures. Programs will be developed to assist farmers in starting and growing businesses, particularly in agriculture.

From 2021 to now, the collective economic sector and agricultural cooperatives in Bắc Giang province have witnessed robust growth. The province now boasts 697 agricultural, forestry and fisheries cooperatives with a combined charter capital exceeding VNĐ1.3 trillion and a membership of 11,143 individuals. These cooperatives constitute a significant portion of the total cooperative entities in the province.

Agricultural cooperatives in Bắc Giang are transforming, and diversifying into various industries and services. They focus on producing clean and safe products, establishing value chains, and forming links with businesses for product consumption. Key activities of these cooperatives encompass the cultivation of safe vegetables, clean meat, medicinal products, honey, Yên Thế hill chicken, soy sauce, lychees, pineapple, red dragon fruit, baby cucumbers, melons and celery.

A lady takes care of a Núi Dành southern ginseng garden in Đồng Sen village, Việt Lập commune, Tân Yên district. Photo VNS

Numerous cooperatives in Bắc Giang have proactively diversified into various service industries beyond agriculture. These include environmental sanitation, internal credit services, animal feed production, medicinal extracts and herbs production, essential oils production, herbal powders production and meat product processing, including sausages.

An increasing number of agricultural cooperatives in Bắc Giang are establishing partnerships with production enterprises, following standardised processes to produce high-quality agricultural products for a sustainable market. Livestock and fisheries cooperatives actively enhance the quality of livestock and speciality animals with high economic value, catering to market demands.

Typical examples are Yên Dũng Clean Vegetable Cooperative, Núi Dành Southern Ginseng Production and Consumption Cooperative, Phúc Hoa Lychee Cooperative, Lâm Sinh Ngọc Châu Giant Timber Bamboo Shoot Cooperative; Thanh Hải Agricultural Cooperative; and Bình Minh organic agricultural cooperative.

Lê Bá Thành, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Bắc Giang province, emphasised the province's commitment to prioritising the development of the cooperative economy in agriculture and rural areas. Bắc Giang plans to strengthen agricultural cooperatives by providing integrated financial support, prioritising pilot models and high-tech production cooperatives aligned with product value chains as part of their active participation in the local new rural construction programme.

The residents of Thổ Hà village, Vân Hà commune, Việt Yên district, take advantage of the early morning sunlight to dry rice paper. Photo VNS

Đào Thị Hương, the Director of Lâm Thuận Hương Chũ Noodle Production, Trading and Consumption Cooperative in Nam Dương commune, Lục Ngạn District, revealed, "Currently, our cooperative's noodle products are distributed in Russia, Taiwan (China), Australia, Japan, Laos and Cambodia. Our Chũ Green noodles have been recognised as a typical rural industrial product nationwide in 2021, and several other products have achieved a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) certification. The Cooperative generates an annual revenue ranging from VNĐ900 million to VNĐ1.3 billion."