The Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development launched a programme dubbed “Green Connection towards A Clean Agriculture” in HCM City on December 27 to strengthen the linkages between various players in the agricultural production chain.

It is also aimed at strengthening co-operatives and farmers’ ties with businesses, considered an important measure to improve the competitiveness of and add value to Vietnamese farm produce, enabling them to enter the international market, Le Duc Thinh, deputy director of the ministry’s Rural Development and Economic Co-operative Department, said.

Amid the increasing international integration, Viet Nam’s agricultural production needs to focus more on quality, meeting international standards, on-time delivery and competitive prices, he said.

The food safety situation in the domestic market has become worrying, with many products failing to meet hygiene and safety standards still being sold in the market, he said.

Deputy Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said, “Through the programme, we want to build a connecting chain for safe products, from production to consumption, produced based on VietGap, or GlobalGap or even organic standards.”

Consumers should know where safe products meeting quality standards are produced and sold, he said.

The programme also aims to create confidence in foreign importers by showing them that Viet Nam has co-operatives and businesses producing products not only meeting Vietnamese standards but also the regulations of importing countries, he said.

The programme, together with others, also aims to raise awareness among producers about the need for following good agricultural practices to provide safe products to the market, he said.

As part of the programme a fair titled “Green Address, Clean Products of Agricultural Co-Operatives” is being held at the Co.opmart Foodcosa supermarket in HCM City’s Go Vap District on December 27 and 28.

The fair has attracted 35 co-operatives who have set up 40 booths displaying a wide range of agricultural, forestry and seafood products meeting VietGap standards or with quality certification.

They expect the fair to promote their products and enable them to enter into tie-ups.

Speaking at a seminar on the real situation and measures to develop production and consumption of safe farm produce held yesterday in the city as part of the programme, Thinh said 1-5 per cent of products obtained quality certifications from local and foreign organisations.

Farmers should join hands through co-operatives or co-operative groups to meet the quality standards required by the market, he said.

The co-operation would also help expand production and prevent traders from deflating prices, he said.

The representatives of many co-operatives, including the Xuan Dinh Fruits Co-operative in Dong Nai, Giong Trom Green Skin Co-operative, and Loc Khe Safe Vegetables Co-operative, told the seminar that they face difficulties in finding outlets for their safe products and expect to find distributors through the programme.

Saigon Co.op, Viet Nam Farms and Agricultural Enterprises Association, the crop production and rural development and economic co-operative departments and others signed up for the programme. — VNS