HCM City (VNA) – The firstnational forum on organic agriculture took place in Ho Chi Minh City onDecember 27, discussing solutions to develop the sector.

Participating experts said organic farminggrowth in Vietnam requires the handling of barriers in material input,production-processing, trade, and preferential policies.

They pointed to the fact that farmers arereluctant to shift to the practice due to unproven incomes and markets, highcosts and strict requirements. Many firms operating in the field are yet toreceive credit and land assistance from the State. In addition, organicproduction has become a widespread trend, resulting in rampant and unqualifiedproduction and products in the country, they said.

Nguyen Van Bo, former head of the VietnamAcademy of Agricultural Sciences, proposed the Government build a roadmap fordevelopment of organic agriculture, as well as define key products andprioritised farming areas.

The completion of local standardrequirement and certification – monitoring system is also necessary, he added.

Le Quoc Phong, deputy head of the VietnamOrganic Agriculture Association, called attention to the management of materialinput, particularly fertilizer, for organic farming. He said quality of organicfertilisers is a major issue, as the use of large amount of substandard fertilizersposes pollution risks, hence the need for the production of high quality andclean organic fertilisers.

Phong also said it is important to prevent unhealthycompetition from fake organic goods via the establishment of a nationalcertification system.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (MARD) Tran Thanh Nam said the ministry supports organic farming growthwhile maintaining food security.

Nam noted comments by participants at theforum will be included in a draft decree on organic agriculture. The decree isexpected to lay basis for other policies to be issued, after it is approved bythe Prime Minister.

Currently, the MARD is working with theMinistry of Science and Technology to review organic criteria for production,processing, and labeling in line with international standards.

According to the MARD, 33 provinces andcities nationwide have started organic agriculture, with organic farms spanningabout 77,000 hectares in 2016, 3.6 times larger than that of 2010.-VNA