Vietnam: Sharing experience in applying technology and potato cultivation

Attending the workshop were representatives of leaders of units under the Central agricultural sector and 13 northern provinces and cities producing potatoes; representatives of associations, enterprises, and cooperatives operating in the potato industry value chain; more than 100 potato farmers in 13 northern provinces and cities...

The workshop aims to share experiences in applying technology and good practices in potato cultivation, and at the same time kick off the 2024-2025 winter-spring potato crop. The workshop also discussed PPP cooperation to develop a sustainable, high-yield potato value chain model in the northern provinces in 2025, towards a potato value chain model, ensuring production is closely linked to processing.

Preliminary assessment of results of potato production models in the northern provinces of the PPP group

After more than 10 years of potato cultivation in the Central Highlands provinces, the PPP partner group has implemented pilot models in the 2023-2024 winter-spring crop in Thanh Hoa and Hai Duong provinces. The result: significantly higher potato yields, water savings and increased income for farmers. This fact shows that the Vietnamese potato industry still has a lot of room for growth.

Preliminary survey results on the impact of community extension on potato production in the northern provinces and the Red River Delta

PepsiCo is completing the investment in building a new food factory in Ha Nam, with an expected capacity of more than 20.000 tons of snacks/year. The company’s cooperation in expanding the model to the northern provinces is also to prepare raw material areas to ensure a local, quality supply chain.

It is expected that in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop, PepsiCo will continue to coordinate with Syngenta and partners in the potato value chain to implement 9 sustainable potato production models applying high technology in the provinces of the Red River Delta, including Hai Duong, with a total expected area of ​​23 hectares.

Expanding the raw material area helps farmers have more crop options and the opportunity to have a stable income from growing potatoes. Not only do they have access to advanced farming techniques, safe and responsible use of fertilizers and pesticides, but potato growers in the North are also guided in applying digitalization in agriculture such as visiting fields with drones (using unmanned aerial vehicles), managing cultivation, adjusting irrigation water right on smartphone applications, etc.

Sharing information at the workshop, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hai Duong, Pham Thi Dao, said that potatoes were previously one of the main crops in the winter crop of the province. Potatoes are consumed easily, have a short growing time and a long growing season; can be stored at home for a short time so there is less pressure to consume immediately after harvest, the varieties are easy to grow and care for, have high productivity, quality, and a favorable consumption market.

However, in recent years, due to the shift of labor from agriculture to industry, there has been a shortage of labor. On the other hand, potato cultivation requires a lot of care and harvesting, while people have to buy potato seeds at high prices, product consumption is unstable, especially when people produce on a large scale, so the area of ​​potato cultivation in Hai Duong in recent years has tended to decrease...

“Up to now, the potato area of ​​Hai Duong province is about 700 hectares/year, concentrated in some localities such as Tu Ky district 176 hectares, Thanh Mien district 120 hectares, Kim Thanh district 68 hectares, Kinh Mon town 66 hectares, Thanh Ha district 54 hectares... Average yield is 144,61 quintals/hectare, total output is 10.788 tons", Ms. Pham Thi Dao informed.