Vitality of plantation: 'Golden land' for commodity agriculture

"Coming to Phu Dong Farm, the homeland's forests stretch endlessly..."

In August, the 35.5-kilometer asphalt road running from Provincial Road 877B, starting at Binh Ninh ferry and reaching the farthest corner of Tan Phu Dong commune, Dong Thap province, is bustling with trucks going back and forth, laden with goods and agricultural products.

Bài liên quan

Vitality of plantation: Opportunity to attract major investors to agricultural and forestry farms

Soursop, giant tiger prawn, lemongrass, and coconuts are among the specialties of this island commune, loaded onto trucks bearing license plates from Mekong Delta provinces, crossing rivers and fields to enter major domestic and international markets. Local farmers are proud of the land that has been transformed from hardship into a prosperous, vibrant countryside.

Tan Phu Dong was once covered with vast mangrove forests, enduring salty winds all year round. After national reunification, state-owned farms were established, most notably Phu Dong Farm, which was once celebrated in music through composer Hoang Phuong's melody: "Coming to Phu Dong Farm, the homeland’s forests stretch endlessly…."

In early years, residents reclaimed land, built homes, and struggled against acidic soil and salinity. Mangrove forests gradually gave place to rice paddies, coconut groves, and sedge forests. The name "Phu Dong Farm" became a symbol of determination to reclaim and develop a new land.

Bài liên quan

Vitality of plantation: Reform to survive

Mr. Le Thanh Dang, Chairman of the Tan Phu Dong Commune People's Committee, shared, "Our largest challenge is the natural condition, with six months of saline water and six months of fresh water. But this harshness forces farmers to innovate."

According to Mr. Dang, many generations of local leaders have always prioritized developing climate-resilient agricultural models, leveraging the advantages of each season to create high product value. From aquaculture to vegetables and fruit trees, all production activities are directed toward large-scale, sustainable commodities closely linked with businesses. In Bai Bun Hamlet, the high-tech shrimp ponds of Tuan Hien Aquaculture Co., Ltd. stand as a clear testament to this shift in production mindset.

Bài liên quan

Vitality of plantation: Chu Se rubber rising from barren hills

Mr. Ngo Minh Tuan, Director of Tuan Hien Aquaculture Co., Ltd., said that shrimp farming has faced persistent challenges in recent years due to climate change, rising input costs, and falling shrimp prices. Despite these difficulties, local shrimp farmers still have opportunities, with the key factor being the application of scientific and technological advances.

Over the past two years, Mr. Tuan has made major investments in biosecure shrimp farming, building a disease-testing laboratory for farmed shrimp, and controlling seeds and the environment before stocking. In 2025, the company expanded its ponds and upgraded farming technology to reduce risks, increase productivity, ensure shrimp safety, and stabilize output.

In addition to production, Tuan Hien supplies shrimp seeds, environmental treatment products, feed, and technical consulting to help local farmers gradually shift from traditional to high-tech farming. The company’s activities have helped create jobs, increase incomes, and protect the ecological environment.

Granary of agricultural products

Mr. Ha Van Hai in Phu Huu hamlet, Tan Phu Dong commune, is one of the pioneers in implementing the shrimp–rice farming model. He grows salt-tolerant rice during the rainy season and raises giant tiger prawns, whiteleg shrimp, and crabs in the dry season. In the first year, Mr. Hai earned over VND 300 million, paving the way for dozens of neighboring households to escape poverty.

Coconut and lemongrass are the two main crops, with Tan Phu Dong growing more lemongrass than anywhere else. Lush green lemongrass stretches across rice fields, along canals, and between coconut gardens. The commune currently has about 3,500 hectares of lemongrass, with a productivity of 15–17 tons/hectare/crop and an output of 55,000 tons/year. Coconut covers 2,900 hectares, producing 25,000 tons/year. Lemongrass and coconut bring an average profit of VND 75–80 million/hectare/year, 3-4 times higher than rice farming in the past. Notably, two processing plants for coconut and lemongrass essential oil are being invested in, expected to increase the value of these crops.

Tan Phu Dong is also renowned for growing soursop grafted onto the pond apple rootstock, making it well adapted to brackish and saline soils. This is another profitable crop, with an average profit of VND 300 million/hectare/year. Thanks to off-season cultivation techniques, soursop is available year-round, attracting traders from Mekong Delta provinces who are willing to pay high prices, thereby creating a major source of income for local orchard owners.

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, Director of Tan Thoi Agricultural Cooperative, said the cooperative is now linking with farmers to cultivate 100 hectares of soursop and partnering with an enterprise in Ho Chi Minh City. This cooperation has encouraged farmers to apply VietGAP processes and use organic fertilizers and pesticides. These practices created favorable conditions for the cooperative's products to enter domestic supermarkets and export. For many years, soursop has brought high incomes to farmers, eliminating the situation of "good harvest, bad price."

Towards green agriculture

Tan Phu Dong's development today is closely tied to key infrastructure projects. Provincial Road 877B has been upgraded; a bridge connecting to Tan Thanh commune has been completed; and three-phase power lines now serve high-tech shrimp farming areas. Flood-control dikes, sluices, and freshwater canals have also been constructed.

Particularly, the clean water project from the BOO Dong Tam Water Plant now delivers water across the river directly to households, completely changing local life. In the past, during the dry season, residents had to buy water at high prices; today, over 90% of households have access to clean water.

According to Mr. Le Thanh Dang, Chairman of the Tan Phu Dong Commune People's Committee, the commune has converted low-yield rice areas into climate-resilient crops such as lemongrass, coconut, soursop, and vegetables. Currently, the commune has 2,900 hectares of coconut, including 177 hectares of organic coconut under the linkage with Thabico Company, sold at prices 5–10% higher.

Biosecure cow, goat, and pig farming has also been strengthened, with 225 biogas digesters built to treat livestock waste. Aquaculture accounts for nearly 40% of agricultural production area, with an annual output of 36,000 tons. Production models are shifting toward organic and circular farming that protects the environment, improves product quality, and increases value.

Today's Tan Phu Dong has nearly 65% of middle-income or wealthy households, while poverty rates have dropped sharply. The movement of "good farmers, good production" has spread widely, with many households earning hundreds of millions to several billion dong each year from aquaculture, fruit, and short-term industrial crop farming.

Mr. Le Thanh Dang frankly acknowledged that Tan Phu Dong's development today is thanks to the determination and consensus of the people and successive local administrations. The locality once established Phu Dong Farm with many hardships, and from that foundation, Tan Phu Dong has risen to become a "golden land" of commodity agriculture, where people and nature harmonize to drive agricultural economic development.

With this growth momentum and a bold spirit, Tan Phu Dong is set to become not only a region of modern commodity agriculture but also a model for climate change adaptation and sustainable agricultural development in Dong Thap province.