Seminar discusses organic fruit cultivation

Tay Ninh – Organic practice in fruit cultivation was the highlight of a seminar held in the southern province of Tay Ninh on September 26.

An organic orange garden in Kinh Mon, Hai Duong province (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at the event, Le Quoc Phong, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association (VOAA), said organic plantations are expanding worldwide, noting that the practice ensures healthy conditions of the soil, ecosystem and human being.

Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director General of the Department of Crop Production, said Vietnam’s organic plantations spanned 58,081 hectares or about 0.5 percent of the country’s total cultivated land in 2017, ranked third in ASEAN and 58th out of 181 organic farming nations worldwide.

Of the total figure, areas for organic fruit cultivation accounted for 16.3 percent, equivalent to 9,484 hectares.

Tung said the promotion of the practice in growing fruit trees ought to be based on concentrated production area planning as well as specific soil and weather conditions.

The work also requires the formation of supply chains and communications activities to raise farmers’ awareness on the benefits of organic agriculture, he added.

Tung suggested local farming sectors collaborate with enterprises and farmers to implement organic models and organise relevant training courses, while research institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development continue studying technical solutions serving organic fruit cultivation.