The success of agricultural cooperatives in the Ba Thuoc and Xuan Lap regions in optimizing productivity proves that technology is the primary solution to breaking the chain of farmer losses. For a long time, farmers have often been trapped in a classic dilemma: abundant harvests are actually followed by a drop in commodity prices due to oversupply in the market.
The Xuan Lap Agricultural Cooperative, for instance, has taken concrete steps by allocating an investment of 300 million VND to acquire large-capacity drying machinery. This step enables the cooperative to maintain the quality of harvested grain despite uncertain weather conditions. Capable of drying 4 to 5 tons of rice in a single cycle, the cooperative has successfully reduced post-harvest losses by tens of millions of VND each season.
Meanwhile, the Dien Quang Agricultural Service and Consulting Cooperative has taken an approach focused on product downstreaming. Beyond purchasing large quantities of sugarcane, they have also invested in processing technology to turn bananas into value-added products such as dried bananas and banana powder. This strategy has proven effective in offering more stable purchase prices for farmers while creating new job opportunities for local residents with competitive incomes.
The transformation in mindset from experience-based farming to data- and technology-driven agriculture represents a turning point for the sector. Local governments are now actively encouraging business operators to adopt freeze-drying technology, vacuum packaging, and supply chain digitalization. The use of QR codes and software-based farm management systems has become a new standard that grants an 'identity' to local products, ensuring broader and more transparent market access.
Through deep processing and quality standardization, farmers' dependence on middlemen can be minimized. This strategy not only provides price certainty at the producer level but also enhances the competitiveness of agricultural products in a more modern market.
