Members of the Tuấn Tú Agricultural Service Co-operative in Khánh Hòa Province’s Phước Dinh Commune do preliminary processing of green asparagus before taking it to the market. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

KHÁNH HÒA — Khánh Hòa Province is rolling out a range of measures to support, connect and boost the efficiency of the collective economy, with co-operatives and co-operative groups playing a key role.

The goal is to spur socio-economic growth, particularly in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The coastal south-central province has 371 co-operatives, one co-operative union, seven people’s credit funds, and 1,012 co-operative groups, according to its Co-operative Alliance.

They operate across agriculture, fisheries, salt production, transport, industry, construction, and handicrafts.

More than 20 production–consumption chains have been created for safe farmed products including vegetables, garlic, onion, asparagus, durian, mango, pork, chicken, lobster, and white-legged shrimp.

Many co-operatives earn annual revenues of between VNĐ500 million and VNĐ2 billion (US$18,900–75,700).

Hùng Ky, director of the Tuấn Tú Agricultural Service Co-operative in Phước Dinh Commune, said his co-operative has 86 members cultivating green asparagus using high technology on nearly 45ha.

The crop is harvested continuously for three months before resting for one month, and farmers get 10 kilogrammes per 1,000sq.m per day.

Products are contracted with enterprises at around VNĐ50,000 ($1.9) per kilogramme, Ky said.

“Thanks to asparagus farming, our members are no longer in poverty, and many Chăm ethnic households are prospering.”

In mountainous Khánh Sơn Commune, many co-operatives specialise in durian and organic passion fruit, while in Khánh Vĩnh Commune, co-operatives produce honey linked to eco-tourism and the culture of the Raglai ethnic people.

Traditional craft villages such as Bàu Trúc Chăm Pottery Village and Mỹ Nghiệp Brocade Weaving Village in Ninh Phước Commune are also combined with tourism, and attract both domestic and international visitors.

The provincial Co-operative Alliance has organised trade fairs to connect producers with buyers and promote local specialties such as Khánh Sơn durian, forest honey, essential oils, and products recognised under the national “One Commune – One Product” (OCOP) programme.

Scientific and technical advances are also being transferred to co-operatives, including methods for cultivating garlic on sandy coastal land, jujube and green-skin and pink-flesh grapefruit to Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices, or VietGAP, standards, water-saving irrigation, and recycling farm by-products into organic fertilisers.

The province also helps co-operatives build brands and develop intellectual property and collective trademarks for products such as “Cam Lâm mango”, “Khánh Vĩnh green-skin and pink-flesh grapefruit” and “Tuần Lễ – Vạn Thọ coconut,” thereby increasing their value and market reach.

Digital transformation

Khánh Hòa has more than 30 co-operatives in ethnic minority and mountainous areas engaged in agriculture, forestry, services, community tourism, and handicrafts.

The province’s collective economy development plan for the 2022–25 period includes policies on capital, infrastructure and training, and aligns with the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the 2021–30 period.

The implementation of Politburo's Resolution 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, on science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, is seen as an opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of the province’s collective economy.

The provincial People’s Committee has instructed departments to provide training in digital skills, promote e-commerce and trial co-operatives that use new technologies.

Trịnh Minh Hoàng, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee, said: “In developing co-operatives and ethnic minority groups in mountainous areas, Resolution 57-NQ/TW is especially meaningful as the country faces challenges from climate change, green growth requirements and low-emission goals.

“Digital transformation is considered a key driver for the sustainable development of the collective economy and deeper integration into domestic and global value chains.”

Many co-operatives have begun using technology to take farm produce to e-commerce platforms to connect directly with consumers, expand beyond the province and target exports.

However, challenges remain due to limited human resources, technology and finance.

Vạn Quan Phú Đoan, director of the Bàu Trúc Chăm Pottery Co-operative, said as one of the oldest craft villages in Southeast Asia, Bàu Trúc has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

“All stages of pottery, from soil preparation to shaping, firing and finishing, are handmade. The unique feature of Bàu Trúc Chăm pottery is that its colours come not from glaze but from leaves and smoke during firing.”

The co-operative earns nearly VNĐ1 billion ($37,900) annually, selling mainly to tourists and via social media, but still struggles with digital technology, he said.

He hoped for support from technology and travel companies to better promote Chăm cultural products.

To help co-operatives overcome difficulties, the province is mobilising resources for machinery, packaging, labelling, intellectual property protection, and trade promotion.

It is also training co-operative managers and linking co-operatives with businesses to form closed value chains.

The provincial Co-operative Alliance is assisting co-operatives with product registration, traceability and organising workshops to share experiences. — VNS