Developing safe vegetables in a closed chain from production to consumption is a top priority of Hanoi’s agricultural sector.

Chu Tam clean vegetable area. Photo: Chu Tam Clean Vegetable Co-operative

Application of science and technology into production

As the capital’s largest vegetable cultivation area with more than 250ha, Van Duc Commune, Gia Lam District, recently, has applied advances in science and technology such as automatic irrigation in production. 

Nguyen Van Cam, a local grower in Team 12, Vu Xa Village, has applied passlite coating in his vegetable area to restrict harmful bugs and prevent vegetables from rotting or being damaged by storms.

“No pesticide is used in the 720-square-meter vegetable area during the cultivation process while the output is more than twice as much compared to the conventional farming,” Cam said.

With the new growing technology, farmers of Chu Tam Clean Vegetable Co-operative have also gained positive results after investing VND1.4 billion (US$61,553) in a 10,000sq.m net house system. 

Tran Van Tuan, Director of the Chu Tam Clean Vegetable Co-operative said: “Thanks to the investments, the vegetable output is high. The vegetables are uniformed in size and of outstanding quality.”

Tuan said he will continue to maintain safe vegetable production according to VietGAP standards, expanding the scale of the membrane house system, as well as increasing the number of the cooperative’s retail stores.

Another locality, which is well-known as one of the large spice growing hubs in the capital city with an area of 200ha, Tan Minh Commune, Thuong Tin District, is also trying to build a high-quality safe vegetable area.

Vice Chairman of the Thuong Tin District People's Committee Bui Cong Than said the locality will focus on planning vegetable production areas associated with preliminary processing and preservation.

“We will give funding supports for safe vegetable chains for promoting products as well as analyzing vegetable and soil samples for inspection and evaluation of product quality,” he underlined.

According to a report from the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the city has more than 13,000ha of vegetables of all kinds, of which more than 5,000ha are certified for safe production. There are more than 100 concentrated safe vegetable production areas, with an average scale of 20ha.  

Nguyen Manh Phuong, Director of the Hanoi Cultivation and Plant Protection Department, many scientific and technical advances have been applied in safe vegetable areas.

“Local farmers have changed their habits of cultivation. They have reduced the use of plant protection drugs to ensure environmental hygiene thanks to the training courses on safe vegetable production techniques,” he added.

At least one agriculturalist has been assigned to directly support the farmers and supervise the use of fertilizers, plant protection drugs, pests, and diseases in each safe vegetable production area.

Thanks to the synchronous implementation of many solutions, the value of safe vegetable production is 10% to 20% higher than the conventional model. Every year, the farmers earn VND300-500 million ($13,187-$21,978) per ha, especially exceeding VND1 billion ($43,957) in some areas. 

To promote the development of safe vegetable production areas in a closed chain, Chu Phu My, Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said the city strives to build at least 3-5 consumption chains of safe vegetables each year.

"Participants in the safe vegetable chain will receive financial supports in terms of consumption and infrastructure, varieties, packaging, and product labels, besides training courses related to quality management of vegetable areas," he noted.