Production alliances pave the way for Dong Thap lotus exports

Collective production shifts farmers' mindsets

Having spent over six years dedicated to lotus cultivation, Mr. Le Van Rang (Truong Xuan commune, Dong Thap Province) understands that for lotus crops to yield stable incomes, farmers cannot operate in isolation. Driven by this mindset, he joined forces with five neighboring households to establish a lotus production alliance spanning over 30 hectares. The members standardized input material purchasing, synchronized product sales, and actively shared cultivation experiences.

The defining edge of this model is its community-first spirit. Although each household manages individual plots, members rotate field monitoring duties, delegating tasks ranging from pest inspections and crop maintenance to coordinating harvesting logistics when traders arrive. Thanks to synchronized production, lotus quality has escalated, costs have dropped, and market distribution has become seamless.

According to Mr. Le Van Rang, the economic efficiency of lotus farming is currently far more stable than traditional monoculture rice farming. More importantly, the lotus fields bring joy and cohesion to the local community.

"Every blooming season, numerous visitors travel from other regions to sightsee and take photographs. Seeing our hometown growing livelier fills everyone with pride and deepens our bond with the lotus crop," Mr. Rang shared.

Beyond organizational shifts, many Truong Xuan farmers have boldly transitioned to eco-friendly cultivation. They have increased organic fertilizer applications and integrated microbial inoculants into the fields to rehabilitate soil and minimize dependence on chemical alternatives.

Notably, by-products that were previously discarded, such as lotus seedpods left over after seed extraction, are now repurposed into rich organic fertilizer. Farmers collect these seedpods, treat them with Trichoderma fungi, and compost them to return valuable nutrients to the soil.

Just a short distance from Mr. Rang's field, across a sprawling 2.7-hectare lotus field managed by Mr. Nguyen Van Tru's family, between five and eight workers can be seen harvesting seedpods daily.

Mr. Tru noted: "Lotus by-products are no longer burned away after harvest. Seedpods are gathered, mixed with microbial inoculants, and fermented into organic compost to fertilize the field once again."

According to Mr. Tru, organic nutrients derived directly from lotus by-products better fit the crop's cultivation conditions than external inputs. The addition of antagonistic Trichoderma fungi accelerates decomposition, creating a natural nutrient reservoir while suppressing soil-borne pathogens.

This loop not only trims production costs but also reduces chemical use, improves soil texture, and creates an optimal environment for long-term lotus growth, marking a major milestone toward a circular production model that capitalizes on the entire plant.

Orchestrating value chains to export Dong Thap lotus

These positive behavioral shifts among local farmers serve as a vital springboard for local authorities to deploy strategic goals for the lotus sector in its upcoming development phase.

Truong Xuan commune aims to develop approximately 200 hectares for sustainable lotus farming while encouraging farmers to convert inefficient plots to lotus cultivation or tailored crop integration. Multiple enterprises have actively approached the locality to establish long-term product buyback alliances, boosting farmers' confidence.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thao, Vice Chairman of the Truong Xuan Commune People's Committee, stated that the locality encourages integrated cultivation models such as lotus-rice and lotus-fish to suppress pests, lower input costs, and diversify revenue streams.

This solution diversifies income sources while limiting pest and disease outbreaks through proper crop rotation and intercropping. During the flood season, fish are raised in lotus ponds, not only utilizing natural food sources but also contributing to environmental cleanup and reducing the need for pesticides. After each harvest, the land rests and recovers, creating favorable conditions for healthier lotus growth. Therefore, farmers see this as a suitable approach given the natural conditions and the current demands of green agriculture.

The lotus has long stood as the ultimate symbol of Dong Thap land. However, the sector has weathered severe turbulences. In 2015, the province recorded about 1.265 hectares of lotus with an output of nearly 1.000 tons. Between 2016 and 2019, pest outbreaks paired with a lack of structured distribution chains caused the cultivation acreage to contract sharply to just 800-880 hectares.

Since 2021, backed by supportive sector policies and proactive adaptations by farmers and businesses, the lotus acreage has rebounded to approximately 1.800 hectares, concentrated across Thap Muoi, Tam Nong, Cao Lanh, Tan Hong, and Truong Xuan.

According to Dong Thap’s agricultural data, progressive models like lotus-rice and lotus-fish are steadily replacing traditional monoculture practices, yielding an average annual profit of roughly 74 million VND per hectare. Furthermore, farmers can rake in an additional 50 million VND per hectare by hosting experiential tourism activities directly on their fields.

Mr. Le Chi Thien, Deputy Director of the Dong Thap Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized that for Dong Thap lotus to develop sustainably, it can no longer rely on fragmented, small-scale production. The entire sector must pivot toward quality, scientific innovation, digital transformation, and cultural branding.

Accordingly, the province will prioritize infrastructure upgrades, quality management capacities, and crop variety restructuring by partnering with research institutes and universities. This collaboration aims to select specialized lotus varieties tailored for distinct purposes, such as seed extraction, root harvesting, leaf usage, or lotus silk production.

Concurrently, Dong Thap is shaping a green lotus value chain modeled on a circular economy. Enterprises are incentivized to invest in deep processing, maximizing lotus by-products for the manufacture of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, functional foods, and biomaterials. Cooperatives and agricultural hubs will receive capacity upgrades to strengthen direct-to-business alliances, minimizing dependence on predatory middlemen.

Dong Thap identifies comprehensive digital transformation as a core pillar of the lotus sector's roadmap. The province will construct a digitized raw material zone database, deploy artificial intelligence in production management and traceability, and expand e-commerce structures. At the same time, a media strategy anchored on the "Lotus Tells Stories" emblem will be executed to radiate the cultural, tourism, and economic value of Dong Thap lotus to both domestic and international markets.