An Giang to turn 7 million tons of rice straw into green value

Recently, in Rach Gia Ward, the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), organized a consultation workshop to assess the potential for applying low-emission straw management practices in the province.

The event brought together representatives from specialized agencies, cooperatives, enterprises, and farmers to review the current situation of post-harvest straw handling and propose solutions aligned with the orientation toward sustainable agricultural development.

An Giang is currently at the peak of harvesting the 2025-2026 winter-spring rice crop, with more than 323,000 hectares harvested and an average yield of 7.78 tons per hectare, up 2.25% compared to the plan. Along with these results comes a very large volume of straw and residue. Each year, An Giang generates about 7 million tons of straw. If effectively managed, this abundant biomass source can become an important resource.

According to Mr. Tran Thanh Hiep, Deputy Director of the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment, sustainable straw management not only helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also opens up opportunities to form new value chains in rice production. The agricultural sector is aiming to develop methods to assess the potential for mechanizing straw collection, identify priority areas for investment, and serve the goal of low-emission rice production.

Although considered valuable, rice straw and residue are still not being properly utilized. According to a survey by the An Giang Provincial Extension Center, over 26.3% of straw is still burned directly in the fields, causing air pollution and depleting valuable organic matter for the soil. In areas where burning is avoided, burying straw in flooded fields without microbial treatment also produces methane, thereby increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Mr. Le Van Dung, Deputy Director of the An Giang Provincial Extension Center, rice straw can become a valuable raw material if properly collected and used. Straw can be used for mushroom cultivation, organic fertilizer production, livestock feed, biomass pellets, or as raw material for bio-products. On average, 1 ton of dry straw yields about 100 kg of fresh mushrooms, with the remaining residue returned to the soil to improve it, contributing to a circular system in agricultural production.

However, a major bottleneck at present is the cost of collection and the mechanization conditions. According to IRRI experts, the straw collection rate in An Giang reaches only about 8–22%, depending on the timing. Straw prices at the field are around 27,000 VND per bale, while investing in a straw baling machine can exceed 400 million VND, not including operating and transportation costs. Field conditions such as moisture, soil softness, and the irrigation canal system also greatly affect the feasibility of mechanization.

In this context, Decree No. 112/2026/ND-CP dated April 1, 2026, is expected to open a new pathway by linking straw management with the carbon market. With about 8.7 million tons of straw generated annually, An Giang has the potential to produce 8-15 million tons of CO2 equivalent. By avoiding burning or indiscriminate flooding of straw, farmers and cooperatives can participate in the carbon credit market, generating additional income to offset production costs.

This represents a shift from viewing by-products as waste to treating them as valuable resources, creating economic incentives to change farming practices. Rice straw management, therefore, is no longer purely an environmental issue but becomes a solution to increase the value of rice and enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products in the international market.

To achieve the goal of collecting and reusing 100% of rice straw by 2030, experts believe that An Giang needs to accelerate mechanization, develop a collection potential map, and establish a regional-scale straw logistics system. At the same time, strengthening the connection between scientists, enterprises, and farmers is essential to apply microbial treatment technologies and biochar production in practice at reasonable costs, contributing to the development of sustainable agriculture in the Mekong Delta.

* $1 = VND 26,331 - Source: Vietcombank.