VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Gardening Association has transformed farming in the city by persuading people to switch from traditional low-yield crops to more lucrative ones and animal husbandry, a meeting heard yesterday in the city.

Tran Viet My, who took over as new chairman of the association, said by developing orchard-fish farm-pig farm and other models the association had diversified the varieties of crops and livestock farmed in the city.

My, who was speaking at a meeting held to review the association's operations in the last five years and plan for the next five, said the new models had been developed to suit local soil conditions, skills and demand.

Fruit trees were now grown on 9,700ha of land, mostly in the suburban Cu Chi and Binh Chanh Districts, with many of them being new high-yield strains that met local and export needs.

High-grade, disease-resistant fruit strains were grown while traditional varieties had been reintroduced - like Long Hoa mangoes in Can Gio District and mangosteen in Hoc Mon and Cu Chi.

Fruits fetched farmers five to eight times as much money as rice or sugarcane.

There had been a dramatic rise this year in the area under ornamental plants - to 991ha from a mere 23ha in 1995.

From Districts 2,9,12, Thu Duc, and Go Vap, farming ornamental plants like yellow ochna blossoms, bonsai, and other ornamental plants had now expanded to Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and Binh Chanh districts.

Animal husbandry

The association had also induced a shift from raising traditional livestock to wild animals like bear, goat, rabbit, boar, porcupine, and deer for meat and other products, raising farmers' incomes.

The city boasted 49 facilities owned by 100 households that produced tons of fish and employed some 300 workers.

My also spoke about some key tasks the association had set out for the next five years - like expanding the orchard-fish farm-pig farm and other systems in suburban areas to ensure a sustainable urban agriculture model.

He highlighted the need for applying the latest technologies to achieve economic restructuring and set up intensive farming zones.

Farmers, scientists, businessmen, and the State - through agricultural extension clubs and co-operatives - had to work hand-in-hand to take on foreign rivals.

But there were shortcomings to be overcome, like poor zoning and infrastructure, ineffective trade promotion, and shortage of capital, he said.

The association decided at the meeting to rename itself the HCM City Gardening and Farms Association.

(Source: Viet Nam News)