Agricultural Challenges

(DTO) Mainstream news regarding the agricultural sector has recently reflected numerous difficulties. Terms like "hitting rock bottom," "sharp decline," and "plummeting" have appeared frequently across various agricultural commodity groups, most recently affecting the prices of jackfruit, durian, rice, coconuts, and poultry.

Farmers find themselves at a loss as jackfruit prices have dropped to a mere 2,000–3,000 VND/kg. Cutting down the trees is "heartbreaking," yet keeping them is equally difficult. This reality seems to be an old—even very old—story for the agricultural industry. 

However, this cycle repeats like a recurring chorus with few exits. As in previous instances, the causes are attributed to oversupply, weak purchasing power, and rising transportation costs.

Consequently, farmers in the Mekong Delta remain caught in the perpetual struggle of "what to plant, what to raise," as if an effective conclusion has never been reached.

For many years, the concept of "agricultural economics" has been proposed to solve this long-standing dilemma. Furthermore, digitalization in agriculture has been implemented to find solutions for cost reduction and income enhancement for farmers. 

Yet, the market cycle for agricultural consumption continues to revolve around the old tale of "supply exceeding demand" and arduous consumption. Naturally, as long as the income of farmers remains unimproved, their material and spiritual lives are unlikely to change rapidly.

Despite living in the nation's largest rice bowl and aquaculture center, the livelihoods of Mekong Delta residents remain difficult, and they have yet to achieve prosperity. The essence of agricultural economics has always contained such complex puzzles.

Numerous policies and forums have been established to find livelihood solutions for the Mekong Delta, focusing on unlocking agricultural potential. 

This includes developing agriculture in a "nature-based" (thuận thiên) direction, focusing on transport infrastructure investment, building commodity value chains, and implementing the "four-party" linkage (State, Farmer, Scientist, and Entrepreneur). Additionally, there is an emphasis on high-quality agricultural products and utilizing digitalization as a "midwife" to propel agriculture forward efficiently—all aimed at the ultimate goal of increasing farmer income.

However, from a general perspective today, the agricultural sector still has much to discuss. 

Above all, agricultural economics likely requires a shift toward a newer, more flexible, and more effective production mindset. Just as the wheels of digital transformation turn increasingly faster, the mindset regarding agricultural economics must adapt accordingly to hope for a powerful transformation and a better chance for farmers' lives to improve.

By THE ANH
Translated by X.QUANG