Cooperatives renew themselves to go further

Thai Nguyen province currently has over 600 agricultural cooperatives. While in the past these cooperatives mainly played the role of “midwives” for farmers, many units have now boldly transformed and operated in the direction of modern rural enterprises. Applying science and technology, building brands, and diversifying consumption channels are gradually becoming inevitable trends for agricultural cooperatives to develop.

Greenhouse for drying vermicelli of Tai Hoan Cooperative.

There was a period when many agricultural cooperatives were short of capital, had outdated technology, and unstable output. However, since the end of 2023, when the restructuring process was promoted, many cooperatives have entered a period of acceleration, daring to invest in technology, improve product quality, and proactively connect with the market.

Vo Nhai Agricultural Processing Cooperative (Nghinh Tuong Commune) is a typical example. With an investment of more than 3.5 billion VND, in 2023 the Cooperative built a 1,000m2 VONACOOP processing workshop, equipped with a synchronous production line that meets HACCP international standards. The methodical production process helps the Cooperative sell over 20 tons of finished products each year, not only serving the domestic market but also exporting to Japan and Singapore.

Mr. Le Van Hieu, Director of the Cooperative, shared: The two main products of the Cooperative, bamboo shoots and dried wood ear mushrooms, both have 4-star OCOP certification, bringing in revenue of about 7 billion VND per year. Other products such as dried shiitake mushrooms, soft tofu, soybeans, local red peanuts, etc. are also produced by us according to safety standards and good consumption.

Not stopping at investing in production lines, Vo Nhai Agricultural Processing Cooperative also actively participates in e-commerce platforms, fairs, and exhibitions to promote products. Thanks to that, the unit currently creates stable jobs for more than 50 workers and consumes raw materials for more than 200 households.

The factory is invested according to HACCP international standards of Vo Nhai Agricultural Processing Cooperative.

The spirit of innovation is also evident in the Trau Vang Agricultural Cooperative (Vo Nhai Commune). After a period of heavy losses due to the decrease in cattle prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cooperative shifted to raising cattle and buffalo for breeding and developing the beekeeping industry for honey.

Mr. Nong Van Tiep, Director of the Cooperative, said: At first, we raised bees to survive during difficult times. But the honey products were well received by the market. Seeing the potential, the Cooperative invested systematically, building honey products that met OCOP standards and considered this one of the key business directions.

Up to now, Trau Vang Agricultural Cooperative has developed more than 300 bee colonies, and has also linked with a number of other cooperatives in the area to form concentrated beekeeping areas, creating competitive advantages and increasing the ability to meet large orders.

In Kunming commune, the traditional cellophane noodle making profession is also having the opportunity to expand with the steady steps of Tai Hoan Cooperative. With the goal of expanding the consumption market for Tai Hoan 5-star OCOP cellophane noodles, the Cooperative is investing in completing an additional 4,000 m² factory, aiming for a capacity of 2.5 tons/day.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan, Director of the Cooperative, expects: We aim to expand exports to Korea, Japan and the Middle East. In particular, after the province merger, the opportunity to connect with cooperatives and businesses in the area will help Tai Hoan vermicelli have more effective consumption and promotion channels.

Looking at the cooperatives that have successfully innovated, it can be seen that the common point of these models is the modern production mindset, focusing on quality and brand. They dare to change, boldly apply standard processes, participate in new trade channels and link to create local raw material areas. This is the path that helps cooperatives both maintain traditional values ​​and adapt to the competitive and integrated market.

However, the path of innovation still has many challenges. Currently, many agricultural cooperatives lack capital to invest in modern technological lines, young human resources with good market knowledge are scarce, and cooperation with large enterprises is not strong.

Therefore, in addition to their own efforts, cooperatives need synchronous support in terms of policies, trade promotion, supply-demand connection and export market expansion.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202508/cac-hop-tac-xa-tu-lam-moi-de-vuon-xa-3c403a8/