Members of the Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative in Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district, share techniques for caring for longan trees.

Currently, Song Ma district has 75 cooperatives with nearly 800 members, mainly operating in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, with a total charter capital of nearly 100 billion VND. Estimated revenue is 1 billion VND per cooperative per year. Ms. Lo Thi Bach, Head of the District's Agriculture and Environment Department, said: Cooperatives play an important role in transforming the structure of crops and livestock, transferring scientific and technical knowledge, and applying high technology to production. The entire district currently has 52 cooperatives producing safe fruits according to VietGAP standards, with an area of ​​over 982 hectares and a production of over 14,400 tons; 1,000 hectares of fruit trees using high-tech application models; 1,000 hectares of organic production; maintaining 50 planting area codes, including 12 codes for longan cultivation exported to the US market; and 25 codes for longan and mango cultivation exported to the Chinese market. There are 13 designated growing areas for longan exports to the Australian and New Zealand markets, covering a total area of ​​over 710 hectares.

Seizing market trends, cooperatives proactively innovate their operating methods; dynamically connect and form linkages between farmers and businesses, with 8 product development linkage chains; 31 safe agricultural product supply chains; 10 planting area codes, covering an area of ​​182 hectares; contributing to raising the total area certified under VietGAP to over 600 hectares; 72 hectares of crops applying water-saving and drip irrigation technology; and developing 5 OCOP products.

The Bao Minh Agricultural Service Cooperative in Chieng Khoong commune has 13 members and cultivates 50 hectares of fruit trees, mainly longan, mango, and pomelo. The entire area of ​​fruit trees is cultivated according to VietGAP standards, with an annual yield of 350 tons. The products are sold in domestic supermarkets and exported to the Chinese market. In the 2024 longan harvest, the cooperative achieved revenue of over 3.5 billion VND, creating jobs for 150 local workers; the average income of its members reached nearly 300 million VND per year.

Members of the Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative in Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district, are bagging mangoes.

Mr. Le Danh Phuc, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, said: The cooperative focuses on building brands, tracing product origins, and connecting with large businesses and supermarkets to bring agricultural products into modern distribution systems. In the future, the cooperative will expand its consumption market and sign cooperation agreements with distribution units in Central Vietnam to ensure stable consumption of longan, mango, and pomelo products for its members.

The Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative in Na Nghiu commune, run by war veterans, is gradually asserting its pivotal role in the region's fruit production. Currently, the cooperative has 17 members, cultivating 45 hectares of longan, mango, and pomelo, supplying approximately 400 tons of fresh fruit to the market annually.

Mr. Duong Tu Thanh, Director of Toan Thang Agricultural Service Cooperative, shared: The cooperative invested in building a factory to produce dried mangoes, which helps increase product value, extend shelf life, and expand the market. The cooperative's dried mango product has been recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. In addition, the cooperative also purchases cassava and corn from farmers, supplying raw materials to processing factories inside and outside the province.

Cooperative economics is increasingly asserting its important role in the socio-economic development of Song Ma district, contributing to raising income and improving the lives of members and the people; at the same time, promoting the restructuring of the agricultural sector towards modernity and sustainability.

Ngoc Hoa (Contributor)