At the conference.

The event was attended by Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Duong Van Thai; leaders from the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Science and Technology (DST), Viet Yen district People’s Committee, experts from the Guangxi Institute of Agricultural Science (China) (GIAS) as well as the representatives of several farming cooperatives inside and outside the province.

The project of “Building the agricultural scientific corridor in the China – Vietnam border area” was executed at the beginning of 2017, realizing “the model to pilot the farming technique for the grape, melon as well as to experiment several new varieties of corn”.

Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Duong Van Thai and representatives visit the melon cultivating model in the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University.

Accordingly, the GIAS supported the BAFU to construct 12 net houses with the scale of 2,700 square meters, the system of grape frame and attached equipment as well as the varieties selected carefully in Guangxi variety research centers.

To date, the pilot plants were well developed and effectively harvested. Particularly, the seedless grape (Ha den variety – a special type of grape originated in Guangxi province) yielded 20 tonnes per hectare, higher than Ninh Thuan grape with better appearance. Enjoying the selling price of 70,000 VND (3.06 USD) per kilogram, the model earned the benefit of nearly 170 million VND (7,400 USD) per hectare of grape.

Besides, the watermelon grown in the net house with automatic irritation technology helped bring the economic value of 22 – 38 million VND (961 – 1,600 USD) per 100 square meters while the productivity of the glutinous corn reached 11 – 13 tonnes per hectare with strong resistance to diseases.

The representatives exchanged on the effectiveness of the pilot model of hi-tech farming techniques and pressed on the importance of the production procedure, consumption, variety management and climate characteristic among others.

Vice Chairman Thai and the delegates visit the grape growing model in the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University.

Addressing the conference, Vice Chairman Duong Van Thai spoke highly of the effective cooperation between BAFU and GIAS in realizing the scientific project. He informed that Bac Giang province has a favorable condition to grow the watermelon, grape, new corn and requested the DARD and DST to keep cooperating and experimenting the project correctly as the procedure. On that basis, two sides will thoroughly evaluate the model to proceed the registration steps for qualified varieties then pilot an exemplary field in line with hi-tech farming developing plan in the province.

Additionally, Vice Chairman Thai urged the BAFU to tighten the collaboration with the localities to research and provide the varieties with higher productivity and economic value that suit to the geological, weather conditions as well as the farmers’ cultivation habit.

Cong Doanh