Green Manufacturing: Sowing the Seeds for Sustainable Development

Developing a circular economy, linking production with recycling and environmental protection is no longer an option, but has become an inevitable trend for many businesses in Can Tho City. This step not only ensures stable output for agricultural products, increases income for farmers but also creates a closed value chain, harmonizing the economy - environment - community, affirming the path of sustainable and long-term development.

Workers check and label products at Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company - Le Fruit.

Green Journey

Ms. Nguyen Thi Den in Tan Hoa commune, Can Tho city, along with nearly 50 households specializing in growing kumquats (almonds) in the locality, have been closely linked and cooperated to supply raw kumquats to Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company - Le Fruit, in Tra Noc Industrial Park, Can Tho city, for over 6 years. Thanks to this cooperative relationship, about 6 hectares of kumquats grown by local people here are guaranteed output, limiting the situation of "good harvest, low price", avoiding the vicious cycle of planting - cutting. Meanwhile, the company is able to maintain a continuous supply chain, ensuring quality. The price of kumquats purchased by the company in bulk is about 8,500 VND/kg.

Previously, Ms. Den cultivated in a traditional way, mainly using fertilizers and chemicals, but when she joined the factory's supply chain, she completely switched to organic farming, using biological traps to control pests. According to Ms. Den, the long-term goal is to cultivate the entire garden area organically, and at the same time spread this model to participating farmers to gradually form a clean and sustainable raw material area.

Throughout its 25-year journey, Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company - Le Fruit has been steadfast in its commitment to sustainable development. Every year, about 600 tons of fruit waste is recycled into organic fertilizer to improve the soil for local households. In addition, 18,000 jars and glass bottles are reused and recycled every month. Paper box packaging is being researched for recycling into new materials to reduce plastic waste. In addition, the factory currently operates a wastewater treatment system with a 500m³ capacity tank, ensuring that the output water meets Class A standards before being discharged into the centralized treatment system of Tra Noc 1 Industrial Park.

In terms of energy, the current solar power system with a capacity of 198.2kWp (336 panels) has helped save about 143 million VND/year and the company aims to cover the entire roof of the factory with solar power by 2026. These activities clearly demonstrate the responsibility associated throughout the product life cycle, from production - consumption - to recycling and treatment.

Accompanying nearly 2,500 farming households in the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands, the enterprise not only purchases agricultural products stably but also provides technical training and supports natural farming, helping to improve income and quality of life for the community. The unit is also an F&B enterprise in Vietnam that has achieved B Corp certification, demonstrating transparency, responsibility and long-term sustainable development.

Mr. Le Van Dong, General Director of Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company - Le Fruit, said: “Consumers today are very interested in the origin of goods, sustainable development, and environmental protection. Therefore, we should sow the smallest seeds and from the most remote areas with the most vulnerable farmers to create a spread to the community. Of course, businesses must do it from a business perspective, but it must be sustainable business, which means building a foundation. If you want to have fruit to eat, you have to sow seeds, not plant branches.”

According to Mr. Dong, the company currently has 12 products made from fruits of the Mekong Delta, of which kumquat, pink-fleshed guava and pineapple are the main ingredients, with a joint area of ​​more than 120 hectares. Mr. Dong frankly admitted: “Converting from traditional farming to organic farming always makes farmers skeptical, but only practical results are the most convincing answer. Currently, many fruit growers in the Mekong Delta have implemented organic farming models for sustainable development, meeting the requirements of importers.”

The inevitable direction

Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, said: Fruit trees are one of the key products in the agricultural structure of Can Tho City and the Mekong Delta region. In recent years, thanks to the application of technical advances, improving the quality of varieties and expanding production links, the area and output of fruit trees in the city have increased significantly, contributing to increasing people's income and promoting rural economic development.

With the assigned responsibility of managing, guiding and supporting farmers to exploit land resources, develop production in a modern, high-quality direction and bring high economic value, in recent times, the city's agricultural sector has built key fruit production areas, focusing on and forming typical branded products such as mango, longan, Ha Chau strawberry, durian... The fruit production plan of Can Tho city in 2025 is 102,000 hectares, with an output of 1.18 million tons.

“Linking production and consumption in a market-oriented manner is an inevitable direction for the sustainable and effective development of the fruit industry. With the potential of land, climate, tradition and production experience of farmers, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City will continue to call on enterprises and cooperatives to jointly build and invest in all stages from linking production, processing and consumption of fruit products, contributing to creating a complete value chain, sustainable and effective production”, Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang emphasized.

In fact, the model of linking businesses and farmers from building clean raw material areas, converting to organic farming, investing in green production, recycling by-products and utilizing renewable energy has proven to be an effective, sustainable and suitable way of doing things in line with current trends. The circular economy not only creates economic value, but also sows “green seeds” for a sustainable agricultural ecosystem. This is no longer a choice, but an inevitable path for businesses to develop long-term, in harmony with the community and the environment.

Article and photos: MONG TOAN

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/san-xuat-xanh-gioi-mam-cho-phat-trien-ben-vung-a192135.html