Vietnamese Rice Gains Global Certification

Control Union Vietnam Company, a Dutch evaluation and certification agency in Vietnam, recently granted the organic rice certification of BIO Organic, and the organic foods certification of the United States, to the Ca Mau province-based Vien Phu Joint Stock Company.

 

This is the first rice cultivation model in Vietnam and Southeast Asia to be certified with these, thus opening a new direction for the Vietnamese rice sector to make inroads into international high-end market.

 

Mr Vo Minh Khai, Director of Vien Phu Joint Stock Company, said: To have the current 320 ha of rice farm in Khanh An commune, U Minh district, the company has invested over VND30 billion and spent over three years to turn a reed-covered area into a productive rice field.

 

He the said the soil was quite acidic at the time it took over it. To avoid being bitten by insects and reptiles, bulldozer drivers had to wear protective clothes from head to toe. Richard de Boer, Director of Control Union Vietnam, said he witnessed numerous difficulties on Vien Phu farm three years ago because it was separated and distant.

 

But, levelling the ground, digging watering canals and reducing acidity were just initial difficulties. Growing organic rice was a very hard and complex task. Organic rice was grown without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or growth stimulators but only biological products. This was why Vien Phu Company had to come to the U Minh Ha area to carry out the project. Existing farms had fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and growth simulator residues and these substances were impossibly removed in a few years.

Meanwhile, the process of product verification, evaluation and accreditation by foreign certification agencies is carried out very strictly and tightly. Certified organic foods are only labelled on products only when there are no hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers, genetically modified traits, colours and preservatives, etc.” said Mr Richard de Boer.

 

As no chemicals are allowed, preparing land and choosing sowing time are very important because rice has to compete with other plants. In the first years, productivity was less than 1 tonnes per ha.

 

Dr Nguyen Dang Nghia, Director of Southern Land, Fertiliser and Environmental Research Centre, said organic farming certification is higher than Global GAP practices. Therefore, obtaining this certification is a pride and an encouragement. In the world, organic foods-branded products are being increasingly chosen by consumers because they are safe to users, safe to the environment, and good to the economy and producers.

 

Richard de Boer said organic farming is free from chemical fertilisers, herbicides or any other stimulants; therefore, the quality of products is maintained from sowing to harvesting. Vietnamese organic rice certification is valid worldwide.

 

Mr Khai said knowing the company’s farming practices and certifications, many foreign buyers wanted to buy all rice. Although productivity was lower at the beginning, it increased year after year and was forecast to reach 5 tonnes a hectare in 2015.

 

Khai said Vien Phu will expand this cooperation model with farmers. The company will provide agricultural services (soiling, seedling, cultivating and harvesting) and purchase all products.

 

In the coming time, Vien Phu will carry out its cooperation programmes with 10,000 to 20,000 farming households and expand its acreage to 10,000-20,000 ha of organic rice fields. If the company gets support from local authorities, it can be able to add 100,000 ha in Ca Mau province for organic rice fields.

 

 

 

TT