A An, CLDRRI partner to develop OM19 rice variety

A An Food Joint Stock Company and the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLDRRI) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement covering seed supply, production, processing, and sale linkages for the OM19 rice variety. The partnership sets out a direction for developing a large-scale raw material growing area, closely linking scientific research, production, and market development, and thereby gradually raising the value of the rice value chain in the Mekong Delta.

Under the plan, the two sides aim to develop an OM19 rice production area of more than 60,000 hectares by 2032, forming a linked chain from seed supply and production organization through processing and sale. This is a long-term cooperation direction tied to building the "Can Tho Rice" brand under the Project for Selecting Fragrant and High-Quality Rice Varieties Under the "Can Tho Rice" Brand.

The two sides agreed to pursue this cooperation in order to leverage each party's capabilities and strengths, with the shared goal of mutual development and a contribution to Viet Nam's agricultural sector.

OM19 - a foundation for a high-quality rice raw material region

OM19 is a high-quality rice variety with a grain length of nearly 8 mm, low amylose content, an attractive grain appearance, and a mild fragrance. It adapts well to a range of ecological zones across the Mekong Delta, creating favorable conditions for large-scale production.

Given its advantages in grain characteristics, yield, and adaptability, OM19 is regarded as having strong potential to become a raw material source for the high-quality rice segment, aimed at export markets with stringent requirements.

The choice of OM19 for developing the raw material growing area reflects A An's strategy of securing raw material supply directly from the field, building a production area with a defined scale, process, and stable output, thereby strengthening quality control, traceability, and the ability to meet increasingly demanding market requirements.

This also represents a link between the research achievements of the CLDRRI and A An's capacity for organizing production, processing, and market development. When a rice variety is selected to match market demand and production is organized under a unified process, the value of the rice grain is elevated from the very first stage of the chain.

Creating conditions for farmers to produce with confidence

Within the OM19 linkage chain, A An positions itself as the connecting party, investing consistently across the entire process, from production inputs to processing and sale. The model's core focus is to give farmers the confidence to produce, while also building a stable, long-term raw material source for the company.

Notably, A An covers the costs of variety licensing and commercial-product royalties, and pays the CLDRRI for technical cultivation support provided to farmers. This direct investment in input-stage costs eases the financial burden on rice growers while bringing scientific knowledge and technical advances directly to the production areas.

With support from CLDRRI, farmers are guided through cultivation practices suited to OM19's characteristics, including the appropriate use of seed, fertilizer, water, and other agricultural inputs. Applying science and technology to production helps optimize costs, improve rice yield and quality, and ultimately enhance economic efficiency per unit of cultivated area.

As part of this effort, A An also intends to apply resource-saving cultivation methods, reduce input volumes, and limit greenhouse gas emissions, gradually lowering the "carbon footprint" of the fields. This is part of a broader strategy to build a raw material growing area aligned with modern agricultural development trends and increasingly demanding market requirements.

More importantly, the cooperation model creates a linkage among scientists, businesses, farmers, and the market. Under this arrangement, the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute provides the scientific foundation; A An invests in seed and organizes production, processing, and sale linkages; and farmers directly generate the raw material supply.

With the goal of developing more than 60,000 hectares of OM19 rice by 2032, A An and the CLDRRI are gradually building a high-quality rice raw material region with a defined production process and stable output. Spanning investment in seed varieties, technical support, processing, and market development, the cooperation model is expected to create additional value for rice farmers, raise the quality of the raw material supply, and help Vietnamese rice move further into higher-value market segments.