Green, sustainable agriculture - ‘key’ to breakthroughs

High-tech agriculture development

Although Hai Phong is a modern industrial city, it is also a pioneer in high-tech agriculture in the North, with more than 120 ha of greenhouses applying scientific and technological advances in production.

A typical example is Truong Tan commune in the western part of the city, which has about 70 ha of high-tech agricultural production, mostly greenhouses. There, farmers avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides throughout the entire process from planting to harvest. The medium used for growing melons is not regular farmland soil but decomposed coconut fiber, which both supports plant growth and protects the environment.

Currently, many greenhouse models in Hai Phong generate production values ranging from 1 – 3 billion VND/ ha/ year, 10 – 30 times higher than rice farming and 15 times higher than conventional vegetable farming, with the average profit reaching 750 million VND/ ha/ year. In addition to economic efficiency, greenhouse models have helped many localities meet production organization criteria in building advanced and model new-style rural areas.

Hai Phong’s farmers now not only produce rice to ensure food security but also aim to create clean rice grains through multi-layer, multi-value production. In many communes along the Thai Binh and Luoc rivers in the former districts of Tu Ky and Vinh Bao, about 1,200 ha of rice are cultivated organically in combination with sustainable exploitation of ruoi (ragworm) and fiddler crabs.

Farmers have shifted from old farming practices toward green production, saying no to pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The rice produced is clean and safe for health, along with a clean production environment and higher economic value.

Various support and incentive policies

Before the merger, both Hai Duong province and Hai Phong city valued the development of high-tech agriculture. Various projects, resolutions, and regulations to support, encourage, and attract farmers and businesses to participate in green, circular agricultural production laid the foundation for Hai Phong’s impressive and comprehensive progress across many agricultural sectors today.

Thanh Ha lychee, one of Hai Phong’s signature agricultural products, is increasingly expanding its presence in global markets such as the US, Japan, Australia, and Canada.

To secure its place in international markets, the former Hai Duong province implemented numerous projects over the years to establish and expand production areas meeting VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, with oversight from foreign experts and partners.

Another well-known product of Hai Phong is carrot. To ensure carrot quality for export, the agricultural sector encourages farmers to adopt concentrated production, apply scientific and technical advances, strictly adhere to green and safe production principles, and minimize antibiotic and pesticide residues.

Luong Thi Kiem, Deputy Director of the city Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: “As agricultural land shrinks and the labor force shifts strongly toward industry and services, the city’s agricultural sector has identified the only path forward as developing high-tech agriculture linked to environmental protection, increasing value, and targeting exports. Expanding production scale must go hand in hand with expanding consumption markets. At the same time, the city will create the most favorable conditions for businesses and residents to easily access new support policies.”

THAO MANH