Dong Nai develops key crop areas to break through

Strongly developing key crops

To realize the targets set in the Resolution of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term on agricultural restructuring and sustainable rural economic development, the province is focusing on high-tech agriculture, clean agriculture, and the synchronous application of science and technology.

In recent years, Dong Nai has always been a pioneering locality in shifting toward an organic, modern, green, and sustainable agriculture. Agricultural restructuring tied to the development of key crop areas, the application of production processes following VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and organic standards, as well as the expansion of planting area codes, has created important breakthroughs, enhancing the value of agricultural products and strengthening their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.

Following its administrative merger with Binh Phuoc province, Dong Nai has continued to maintain its position as the country's "capital" of industrial crops, with more than 511,000 ha of cultivated land. Many of the province's key industrial crops, notably rubber, cashew, and pepper, rank among the largest in production area nationwide. These crops make significant contributions to export value and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmer households. At the same time, Dong Nai possesses considerable potential for agricultural development. With more than 1 million ha of agricultural land, the province aims to develop its key crop areas toward modern, specialized, and export-oriented production.

In Trang Dai and Tan Trieu wards that are traditional farming areas of Dong Nai, specialized cultivation zones have taken shape clearly, focusing on five key crops: rice, vegetables, mango, pomelo, and citrus. Many of these farming areas are certified for clean production, organic cultivation, and high-tech agriculture. Notably, rice and pomelo are two products with the Dong Nai geographical indication and brands in the market.

Not only renowned as the "fruit capital of the Southeast," many fruit-growing areas in Dong Nai province, such as those producing durian, mango, and pomelo, have met VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards and have been granted planting area codes for export. Cooperatives have applied digital technologies to traceability and the management of care and product consumption procedures.

Several outstanding models include Phu Son Cooperative (formerly in Tan Phu), with 350 ha of durian granted planting area codes for export to China; Bau Nghe Cooperative (Phuoc Long, formerly part of Binh Phuoc province), with 200 ha of durian exported officially since 2023; and Thanh Binh Banana Cooperative (formerly in Trang Bom), with more than 300 ha of tissue-culture bananas and an average export volume of 600 tons/month to Qatar, the UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China, etc., helping ensure stable incomes for local farmers.

Improving crop quality

According to the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Environment, the province currently has 215 planting area codes, with a total area of over 15,000 ha, primarily for growing durian, mango, banana, pomelo, and jackfruit. In addition, 59 packaging facilities have been granted codes to serve exports to demanding markets such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Europe.

Communication and technical training for farmers have also received special attention. Farmers are guided in selecting high-yield varieties with clear origins that meet clean and safety standards. In-field road, irrigation, and electricity systems for production have been upgraded, contributing to the development of concentrated production zones and the increasingly widespread application of science and technology.

A typical example is the formation of a VietGAP mango production and consumption linkage chain between the Phu Ly Mango Cooperative Group and Binh Minh Cooperative. The linkage has helped farmers change their mindset from fragmented, small-scale production to collective farming following technical procedures and stabilize outputs. GAP-certified mango is priced on average VND 500/kg higher, contributing to increasing farmers’ income.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Environment, said, "We pay special attention to supporting enterprises, cooperatives, and farmers in building brands, applying traceability, and improving product quality and competitiveness. This is the only path for Dong Nai’s agricultural products to go farther and maintain their position in major markets."

According to Mr. Thang, establishing linkage chains not only ensures outputs but also facilitates investment in infrastructure of planting areas, such as building in-field roads, installing efficient irrigation systems, smart irrigation, and providing electricity for irrigation, drying, and cold storage. Specialized cultivation zones are gradually being modernized.

Aiming to become the 'high-tech agricultural capital'

Dong Nai has identified the development of fruit crops and key industrial crops through 2030 as a strategic priority, aiming to maximize each region's ecological advantages, increase added value and promote deep processing, build large-scale raw material areas, foster climate-resilient production, and link production with environmental protection.

Dong Nai currently has more than 75,000 ha of fruit trees, with an annual output of about 1.5 million tons. By 2030, this area is expected to reach 84,000 ha, with an annual output rising to nearly 2.3 million tons, focusing on five key crops: mango, durian, banana, pomelo, and jackfruit. The group of key industrial crops includes rubber, cashew, coffee, and pepper, with a total area of over 160,000 ha.

By 2030, Dong Nai aims for 60% of its agricultural land to apply high-tech farming; 100 new-styled cooperatives to operate through digital transformation; all key production areas to be granted planting area codes and packaging facility codes; and strong promotion of e-commerce, building agricultural product brands, and traceability via QR codes.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized, "The agricultural sector must undergo a strong transformation toward high-tech, large-scale, and sustainable production. Reforming administrative procedures, attracting investment in agricultural processing, and establishing large raw material areas with key crops are pivotal tasks."

In the coming period, Dong Nai not only sets a goal of increasing output but also focuses on improving quality and value, aiming to become the "high-tech agricultural capital" of the Southeast region. Smart agriculture models, such as automated irrigation systems; nutrition management via sensors and IoT; greenhouses and net houses; pest forecasting systems; and post-harvest technology, cold storage, and automated packaging, are expected to completely change traditional production methods. Dong Nai's strategy goes beyond increasing agricultural product value; it also aims to protect the ecological environment, reduce emissions, improve people's livelihoods, and build a green, clean, and sustainable agriculture.

Developing key crop areas is a major strategy that Dong Nai continuously invests in and implements methodically and decisively. With vast land, strong application of science and technology, large raw material zones, and increasingly close production–consumption linkages, Dong Nai is moving closer to its goal of "Modern Agriculture – Civilized Rural Areas – Prosperous Farmers."

Following the merger, Dong Nai now possesses more than 1 million ha of agricultural land, forming many specialized cultivation zones for key crops. The province is also intensifying the application of science and technology in producing new varieties and expanding areas with planting area codes to serve exports to demanding markets.