HCM City (VNS/VNA) - With strongsupport from authorities, cooperatives in Ho Chi Minh City have developedstrongly and are making efforts to expand their trade on agricultural productseven into international markets.

When it was established in 2011, Phu Loc Agriculture– Trade – Services Cooperative had only 12 members growing vegetables andcapital of 600 million VND (26,300 USD).

By 2016 the capital had increased 10-foldto 6 billion VND (263,000 USD), with the cooperative attributing it to members’efforts to save.

To sustain production, the cooperative hasdeveloped five farming areas in Cu Chi and Binh Chanh districts of HCM City andin the provinces of Lam Dong, Tien Giang and Long An.

It has also invested in two processingplants in the two districts with modern technologies and meeting food hygieneand safety standards.

In the last four years the cooperative hastaken part in the city’s price-stabilisation programmes for consumer goods,selling 400 tonnes of products a month, rising to 450 tonnes during Lunar Newyear.

Its products, which meet VietGap qualitystandards, are sold at many markets in the city like Ben Thanh, Van Thanh and ThiNghe and supplied to restaurants, kindergartens and canteens.

Now it has 176 producers who grow 68ha ofvegetables.

Phuoc An Agriculture, Production and TradeCooperative is another successful co-operative.

Starting with 15 members and capital of 70million VND (3,100 USD), it has grown to 62 members who farm 29ha and 1.8billion VND (79,000 USD).

Every year it sells nearly 1,500 tonnes ofvegetables and fruits, and last year earned revenues of 22.3 billion VND (98,000USD).

The cooperative attributes the growth toclose cooperation between members and its support for them.

It sells inputs to members at low pricesafter buying large quantities, enables them to obtain preferential loans, andhelps them adopt advanced technologies.

The members have meanwhile actively lookedfor buyers and improved their management.

Towards export

With the city planning to develop a newmodel for the sector in 2018-20, many co-operatives have made all-out effortsto improve the quality of their products.

Along with stamping their products, Phu LocCooperative has studied to diversify their products.

Phu Loc Cooperative plans to supply 500kgof vegetable buds to the market. It is growing hydroponic vegetables on an areaof 3,500sq.m.

To expand its business, especially abroad,it has set up an online shopping page at www.phulocagain.com.

It has invested in technology to developnew varieties of vegetables, and sent samples to Australia to test the quality,following which it plans to export to that country.

To support cooperatives, the HCM Cityadministration has tasked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Developmentand the Cooperative Alliance with supplying them inputs like seeds andfetilisers and helping them sell their products.

The co-operatives also get priority in thecity’s agricultural development programmes.-VNS/VNA