(VOVworld) – With the support of Quang Nam’s agriculture sector, Viet Thang Trade and Import-Export Limited Company has cooperated with local farmers growing Japanese cucumbers, boosting local rural development and sustainable poverty reduction. VOV’s Tuyet Le reports….

Farmers in Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province, are busily harvesting Japanese cucumbers. Nguyen Danh of Duy Trinh commune, Duy Xuyen district, says his family’s 1000 ha of Japanese cucumbers earns them a profit 4 times higher than other crops: "Japanese cucumbers’ yield is much higher than other crops. Moreover, farmers like us no longer have to worry about our output, which is now taken care of by the Viet Thang Company. The company even sends people to our house to collect the cucumbers and pay us money as soon as the work is completed."

Hai Duong’s Viet Thang Company gives local farmers money to buy the production equipment they need and the know-how to grow and collect cucumbers. Nguyen Truong Son, head of the Viet Thang Company’s processing facility in Duy Xuyen district, said the company is supporting local farmers in a pilot model of growing ginger, aubergine, and perilla on 2 ha for each kind of plant: "The company covers all the farmers input expenses and will take charge of their output as well. Our aim is to build production material zones. The local government has supported us a lot in this effort and this has helped to really improve local living conditions."

A total of 150 households in Duy Xuyen district are now growing Japanese cucumbers on nearly 13 ha. The district authorities have given local households 13 USD for every 360 square meters to buy good quality seeds. Classes have been organized to teach farmers necessary skills. Van Ba Nam, head of Duy Xuyen district’s division of agriculture and new rural development, said cooperation between local farmers and businesses has contributed significantly to new rural development there. He said: "We have connected several businesses with local farmers growing Japanese cucumbers. This model earns them profits up to 5 times higher than rice cultivation."

In recent years, the local government has allocated 16.5 million USD to boost local rural development, a large part of which was contributed by local people. 4 of Duy Xuyen’s 11 communes, including Duy Trinh and Duy Phuoc, have completed 17 criteria of the national new rural development program, thanks to the effective cooperation model. These four communes have set a target of completing all criteria by the end of this year.