OAU plant paves way for biopesticide development

Completing the research and production chain for biological products

On August 8, at the Phu My Industrial Cluster in Tay Ho Commune, Da Nang, OAU Organic Agriculture Joint Stock Company held an inauguration ceremony for a plant that produces botanical pesticides and herbal biological products for agricultural use.

The facility marks an important milestone in the company's investment in biotechnology research and development and strengthens domestic production capacity for biological crop protection products.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Tran Nam Hung, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee, along with leaders from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Finance, city Tax Department, local authorities, scientists, experts, businesses, and partners in the agricultural sector.

The plant was built with a modern production line specializing in biological pesticides and botanical-based products. Once operating at full capacity, the facility is expected to supply between 500,000 and 1 million liters of products annually to the domestic market and to target export markets.

The plant comes online as the agricultural sector accelerates its transition toward green growth, organic production, lower emissions, and the gradual replacement of chemical products with biological solutions that are safer for people and the environment.

According to Pham Nhu Quang, Director of OAU Organic Agriculture Joint Stock Company, the investment in the plant is the result of more than 20 years of research and development into biological active ingredients derived from natural materials, with the aim of creating environmentally friendly crop protection solutions.

Through molecular biology research and the support of numerous biotechnology experts, the company has developed active ingredients derived from medicinal plants and natural materials, including chili, Coscinium fenestratum, pine bark, acacia bark, and other indigenous herbal resources.

Building on this foundation, the company successfully developed two new-generation biological crop protection products, OAU01 6.3EW and OAU02 81.7EC.

According to the company, the products are designed to meet multiple requirements of modern agricultural production, including user safety, no pre-harvest interval requirements, effective pest and disease control, affordable costs for farmers, and suitability for industrial-scale production.

Pham Nhu Quang said the company's overarching goal is to gradually reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, thereby improving soil and water quality and the health of agricultural ecosystems, while enhancing the quality of agricultural products for both domestic consumption and export.

As part of its development roadmap, the company began basic research in 2007, involving numerous biotechnology experts. In 2019, the research project was successfully defended before the National Science Council, and the products were officially recognized by the relevant authorities as crop protection products.

In 2020, the products were subsequently licensed for nationwide field trials. From 2021 to 2025, the company invested in building the plant, which officially began operations in 2026, marking the gradual commercialization of its biological products.

According to the company, completing the full chain from research and production to commercialization will help shorten the time needed to bring scientific achievements into agricultural practice, while creating opportunities to expand production capacity in the coming years.

Toward a green agricultural ecosystem

Beyond biological crop protection products, OAU plans to expand research into a broader range of products that support green agriculture and the circular economy.

These include biological products for environmental treatment and the remediation of contaminated soils, post-harvest agricultural preservation products, solutions for aquaculture, products supporting organic rice-shrimp farming models, and various biotechnology applications for regenerative agriculture.

According to the company, expanding its product portfolio will help build an ecosystem of biological solutions for agricultural production to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and meet increasingly stringent market requirements.

Alongside technology investment, the company plans to develop supply chain linkages for medicinal plant raw materials. This is expected to create additional employment, increase the value of medicinal plant-growing areas in various localities, and ensure a stable supply of raw materials for production.

As part of its development strategy, OAU aims to expand cooperation with organizations and businesses across the agricultural sector. Building on the broad-spectrum capabilities of its biological products, the company plans to develop customized solutions for specific pests and diseases, providing targeted pest and disease management services for individual crops.

OAU also plans to work with growers, cooperatives, and agricultural enterprises to develop organic agricultural brands in line with European standards, while promoting the wider adoption of biological solutions in agricultural production.

The company also aims to work alongside government agencies to develop organic and regenerative farming models, contributing to environmental protection, improving the quality of Vietnamese agricultural products, and safeguarding public health.

In addition to the domestic market, OAU aims to gradually introduce its biological products to international markets, including Japan, Germany, Australia, China, and other countries. The company also seeks to meet US and EU standards by applying VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and other ecological production standards.

The inauguration of the factory not only marks a new stage in the company’s development but also reflects the growing investment in agricultural biotechnology in Viet Nam. As the agricultural sector accelerates its green transition and carbon emissions reduction efforts, bio-based products are expected to play an increasingly important role in enhancing the value of Vietnamese agricultural products, meeting export market requirements, and promoting safe and sustainable agriculture.