Lemongrass co-operative receives Global GAP certification boost

LAM DONG — A co-operative that grows lemongrass in Lam Dong Province has been awarded a Global GAP certificate.

The Tien Dong Lemongrass Co-operative, which began applying the Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) standard in 2007, has harvested 10ha out of its 30ha of lemongrass.

It is the first lemongrass co-operative in Lam Dong Province to be awarded the Global Gap certificate, which indicates that it has met standards on product quality, worker health and safety standards, and environmental protection.

LAM DONG — A co-operative that grows lemongrass in Lam Dong Province has been awarded a Global GAP certificate.

The Tien Dong Lemongrass Co-operative, which began applying the Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) standard in 2007, has harvested 10ha out of its 30ha of lemongrass.

It is the first lemongrass co-operative in Lam Dong Province to be awarded the Global Gap certificate, which indicates that it has met standards on product quality, worker health and safety standards, and environmental protection.

Global GAP standards require that farms reduce adverse environmental impact, including the use of chemical fertilisers.

The co-operative's farmers were introduced to Global GAP techniques and provided with seeds and fertiliser by the Asia Regional Biodiversity Programme and the HCM City-based Lemongrass Attar Saroma Company.

The programme is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Saroma Company is the sole lemongrass attar buyer of the co-operative's products.

"Global GAP practices help farmers have higher yields of quality products, and this aids our company's competitive capacity as we can sell quality lemongrass attar in the global market," said Saroma director Lam Thi My Dung.

According to Ngo Dac Thanh, a coordinator of the USAID programme, one tonne of lemongrass cropped under the global GAP practices produces triple the amount of one tonne cropped naturally.

Nguyen Thi Nghien, chairwoman of the district Farmers' Association, said farms applying global GAP standards had created more jobs, but the model had not been expanded because it lacked a boiler system.

"A boiler system has the capacity to handle lemongrass harvested from 10ha only," she said. A boiler system costs VND155 million (US$8,100), according to USAID. — VNS