State takes the lead in organic food farming

Photo: nongthonmoihatinh.vn

To cash in on the demand for organic vegetables, the Government has set up a company to grow organic vegetables and fruits in Hanoi's rural Dan Phuong district.

The plan is to grow enough organic vegetables and fruits in the district's three communes to supply northern and national markets – and create jobs and incomes for local people.

Project owner, Hanoi Investment and Rural Development Co Ltd, will build rural roads, water pumping stations and drainage systems, preparation sheds and other facilities.

Meanwhile, another programme to help farmers market their organic vegetables by giving the products licensed labels is underway in several other areas in Hanoi.

Nguyen Hong Anh, deputy head of Hanoi's Plant Protection Department, said the department is assisting 1,000 families in Van Duc commune in Gia Lam district under this programme.

Hong Anh said with 250ha under cultivation, the commune is producing about 40-45 tonnes of organic vegetables a day, of which 70-75 percent were labelled.

The labelled organic products have been widely sold in Hanoi and other places including northern Hung Yen, Nam Dinh and Quang Ninh provinces as well as central Da Nang City.

Hong Anh said labelled organic vegetables sell more quickly as consumers are more convinced of their quality.

The price of vegetables produced in Van Duc commune is higher than other products of the same types in the market by 500-1,000 VND per kilogramme, he added.

The programme has also been expanded to two other communes, namely Thanh Tri district's Duyen Ha commune and Phuc Tho district's Thanh Da commune.

Hong Anh said the sales of organic vegetables will be promoted with the help of an online sales floor.

The website will update the price list of green products and take orders from consumers.

Hong Anh added that by 2014, labelling for organic vegetables will be made compulsory.

Tran Cong Thang, head of the Strategic Policy Section under the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture, said the current supply met only 14 percent of Hanoians’ demand for organic vegetables.