Cooperatives remain first and foremost solution for agriculture restructuring: minister hinh anh 1A cooperative specialising in clean vegetables in Yen Dung district of Bac Giang province (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Cooperatives remain the first and foremost solution for restructuring the agriculture sector and promoting larger-scale production by creating higher value and a wider range of products, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan on April 7.

Hoan made the statement at a forum on farmers’ cooperation in agricultural production and business.

Only when production scale reaches a considerable level can cooperatives build a reputation for their produce, cut costs, improve quality and have an equal voice with partners, the minister said.

By joining cooperatives, farmers can reduce costs by purchasing materials in bulk and ensure product quality thanks to standardized production processes, he said, emphasizing that this will build competitiveness.

He further said that cooperatives must act as leaders of the rural economy and increase farmers’ incomes. Farmers should not only make earnings from things they produce but also the cooperatives’ services in sorting, preserving, preliminary processing, packaging and digital trade, he added.

In 2021, Vietnam was home to over 53,100 agricultural cooperatives and cooperative groups – nearly 70 percent of the total cooperatives – with around 3.2 million members./.
VNA