3:00:13 PM | 28/6/2010
With a cultivated area of 164,000 hectares, cashew trees are considered a poverty reliever in Binh Phuoc province. Cashew trees, which bear 1.2-1.5 tonnes per hectare, have helped thousands of households escape poverty.
Enriching plant
Binh Phuoc province is one of the largest cashew growers in the country. Easy to grow even in harsh conditions, cashew is a breadwinner for farmers in Binh Phuoc. Besides, cashew nuts are also a source of foreign currency for the country. The cashew nut processing industry creates jobs for 16,000 local people, with stable incomes. The cashew industry has provided opportunity for hundreds of businesses to grow and create generations of dynamic and pioneering entrepreneurs, who will then bring growth to the locality.
The agricultural sector of Binh Phuoc province has adopted many effective intensive farming solutions to achieve high productivity, output and value. The sector has actively transferred agricultural technologies to farmers to develop agriculture and forestry, and encouraged them to expand the high-quality crop area. Binh Phuoc has invested VND30 billion from 2007 to 2010 to build specialised cashew planting areas in Bu Dang and Phuoc Long districts where up to 80,000 ha of unproductive cashew is intensively growing.
Authorities of Binh Phuoc province have also applied solutions to develop the cashew sector. Binh Phuoc is currently rezoning its cashew area and adopting new high-yield varieties. New varieties in addition to ideal soil conditions will ensure an average productivity of 3 tonnes of nuts per hectare, trebling the current yield.
Added value
Binh Phuoc is today branded the capital of the Vietnamese cashew, and Binh Phuoc cashew nuts have been exported worldwide. However, most cashew nut processers and exporters in Binh Phuoc are newly established and they hold a modest rate in export. Local processors are weak in financial capacity, infrastructure and management capacity. To strengthen customer confidence, cashew nut processors in Binh Phuoc need to invest in infrastructure, production equipment and management capacity.
Mr Nguyen Thai Hoc, President of Vietnam Cashew Association, recommended that the Binh Phuoc Department of Agriculture and Rural Development cooperate with local authorities to measure existing cashew area to define strategies for sustainable development. When the area is enlarged, it will be easier to persuade farmers to invest in higher productivity and efficiency crops. Farmers will be assisted in techniques, varieties, tax support and other areas to generate higher profit on the same cropland. Farmers and scientists will be encouraged to conduct research on new varieties and pesticide methods to enhance productivity and quality.
In addition, the province will also pursue trade and investment promotion in a bid to increase the value of cashew products. It will conduct regular inspections in quality, environment, production process, food safety, pricing and competition to create a growth stimulant for this sector.
More importantly, the province needs to have appropriate policies to facilitate cashew industry development commensurate with its potential. It will study new cashew products and intercropping to increase the value of this crop.
Gia Phuc
Vietnamese
