Diversifying markets, growing crops coincided with standards and using information technology for online sales will be key for boosting sales of farm produce, according to Dr. Dao The Anh, Vice President of the Vietnamese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS).

A farmer in Me Linh district, Hanoi with his vegetable is waiting for to be rescused. Photo: Trong Tung

In addition to suffering the impact of the pandemic in recent times, the heavy dependence on traders has led to sales stagnation of farm produce in many localities, including Hanoi’s Me Linh district with its vegetable, Binh Thuan province with dragon fruit and Long An province with watermelon. There are movements of rescuing farm produce from sales stagnation among city dwellers every year.

According to Dr. The Anh, world experience has shown that diversifying consumption channels would be a way out for sales stagnation for farmers. “They don’t depend on one channel to avoid disruptions. For example, besides exporting and farming cooperatives should sell their products to domestic distribution channels to minimize market risk,” he said.

In Japan, agricultural cooperatives never sell to a single customer but to supermarkets, restaurants and other channels to ensure consumption of agricultural products.

Besides, they invest in warehouses to preserve farm produce and diversify agricultural processing technologies for vegetables to last longer as they are perishable, The Anh added.

In recent years, the VASS has assisted the Duc Chinh Cooperative in northern province of Hai Duong in applying technology to preserve agricultural products for up to six months, meeting export market standards, thus helping farmers minimize crop losses.

In order to improve sale of agricultural products, local production units must have a plan and search for markets. But before that, farmers should first join cooperatives to expand production scale, according to local experts.

Recently, the government has issued Decree 98 encouraging cooperatives improve connectivity with farm processing business and distribution channels. Farm produce transactions should be contractual, especially agricultural sales to China .

In addition, creating cooperation and connection between agricultural cooperatives and processing enterprises to gradually form a supply chain would ensure stable sale.

Recently, in the city of Da Lat, in the central highlands of Lam Dong province, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development opened a series of training courses for some leading cooperatives and established a trade association of cooperatives and small businesses to help them connect with each other and overcome difficulties.