Hanoi: High-tech improves farm produce quality

Hanoi considers the application of technologies, especially high technologies, in agriculture and rural development as the key to improved quality of farm produce.

High technology is indispensable for the agricultural sector

Chu Phu My, Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the application of high technologies in production, processing and preservation of farm produce has been intensified, helping increase yields and product value and ensure food safety. So far, the capital has developed 123 models of high-tech agriculture. High-tech cultivation contributes 18 percent to the total production value of Hanoi’s agricultural sector; high-tech animal husbandry contributes 34 percent; and high-tech aquaculture, 13 percent.

Hanoi has promoted mechanization in cultivation by using 5,676 bulldozers, 281 sowing-machines, 990 motorized pesticide sprayers and 877 combine harvesters. The mechanization ratio in tilling has reached 97 percent; in sowing 2.55 percent; pesticide spraying 46 percent; and harvesting 85 percent. Some 119 greenhouses have been built for vegetable cultivation. Low-cost irrigation techniques have been applied to 15ha of vegetable gardens. Hanoi has also built five facilities covering a total area of 458sq.m for preliminary treatment of vegetables.

To improve livestock quality, the capital has imported breeding animals from other countries, such as D300 chickens from the Czech Republic and Landrace, Yorkshire swine from Denmark. Artificial insemination methods have been applied to 100 percent of dairy herds, 61 percent of beef cattle, 79 percent of swine and five chicken farms.

Currently, 30 percent of swine and poultry farms in Hanoi use close breeding facilities; 80 percent of dairy cattle farms and 50 percent of beef cattle farms have been equipped with cooling systems. Two large-scale swine farms use environmental treatment methods based on the Clean Development Mechanism. The Ba Huan Company Limited in Phuc Tho District has put into operation a high-tech poultry processing plant.

In aquaculture, steam blowers are used to enrich oxygen for 4,200ha; bio-technology products are used to treat the water environment in 600ha and Biofloc technology is applied to nearly 12ha.

According to Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Communist Party Committee, the research and application of high technologies in agricultural production remains limited. The capital still lacks central slaughtering facilities capable of ensuring food safety.

Reasons include a lack of appropriate policies to attract investment in high-tech agricultural production, as well as linkages between farmers and trading companies. Moreover, food safety remains a problem. The export of farm produce is still limited.

From now until 2020, Hanoi’s agricultural sector will pay special attention to developing modern models of agricultural production using high technologies, as well as major specialized cultivation areas. Linkages between farmers and trading companies will be built and promoted. Farm produce created with high technologies is expected to contribute 35 percent to total production value of the agricultural sector in the future against 25 percent at present.