Dong Nai (VNA) – About 3.5 millionhectares of pepper grown in the southern province of Dong Nai recently receiveda certificate for organic farming standards of the German-based Certificationof Environmental Standards (CERES).

Therecognition is expected to offer new chances for exports and brand building ofpepper of Vietnam.

The certified pepper areas are under themanagement of Lam San cooperative in the province’s Cam My district, saidDirector of the cooperative Nguyen Ngoc Luan.

From 2012, the cooperative started to producepepper in accordance with organic standards. In the time to come, Lam San cooperative will transfer organic farmingtechnique to farmers joining the production chain in a bid to expand areascultivating pepper for exports.

Organic pepper produced on a large scale will enjoymore favorable conditions on its way to European countries and the US, andraise its value, as prices of organic farm produce are about 30 percent higherthan those of others.

Lam San is the sole cooperative in Vietnam toexport pepper directly to global markets, with an annual amount of 600 tonnesin of the past three years. Pepper produced by the cooperative has been shippedto European nations, including Germany and the Netherlands. 

Germany-based CERES offers certificationfor organic farming and food processing. About 6,400 certificates have beengranted to businesses and farms in 110 countries and territories.-VNA