Báo cáo khoa học nông nghiệp " Improvement of Vietnamese vegetable production using GAP principles for seed and seedling production and superior hybrid varieties " MS3 doc

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

CARD Project Progress Report


025/06VIE
CARD 025/06 Improvement of Vietnamese vegetable
production using GAP principles for seed and
seedling production and superior hybrid varieties



MS3: BASELINE SURVEY


2
Introduction


This baseline survey was split into two key components, and was initially conducted
from June 2007 and completed in June 2008. In June18-8 July 2007, Spooner-Hart
and Nicetic, with FAVRI staff, conducted a baseline study of seed and seedling
producers in the Red River Delta, Central Coast and Lam Dong and HCM city. They
also conducted an initial survey of sub-PPD staff in a number of the designated
project provinces. They also surveyed the Hanoi vegetable markets and Metro, which
was done in collaboration with staff from CARD 06/028. Further surveys of identified
project FFS sites were conducted in December 2007 and June 2008, and
discussions/surveys with trainers and nursery industry personnel at the Lam Dong
workshops in June 2008. A survey of Metro, and its attitude to GAP and “safe”
tomatoes and cucumbers, was also finally completed in April 2008, and we received it

in June 2008. This was an activity which had been delayed from the previous
milestone report.

In June 2007 Spooner-Hart and Nicetic with FAVRI staff, conducted a baseline study
of seed and seedling producers and sub-PPD staff in 3 regions of Viet Nam: the Red
River Delta, (Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc provinces) Central Coast (Quang Nam and
Da Nang) and Lam Dong. In each province, survey questionnaires were used to
gather information from tomato, cucumber producers and seedling producers, using a
Participatory Rural Apppraisal (PRA) approach. Data collected included current crop
varieties grown, key pests and diseases, and yield and quality and costs and returns.
In addition, the knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices of the target farmers to
GAP in the context of vegetable production was also assessed. The interview forms
for seedling producers and farmers are presented as Appendix 1.


The baseline study also investigated key markets and market requirements for
cucumbers and tomatoes in Ha Noi, via visits to the Ha Noi vegetable markets at
Long Bien and the supermarket chain Metro Cash and Carry, in Ha Noi.
The Metro
visit was facilitated through collaboration with personnel from project CARD 06/028.

3
Findings
The estimated areas of tomatoes and cucumbers grown in provinces associated with
CARD 06/025 are presented in Appendix 3.

Tomatoes

The survey showed that there were significant differences in all aspects of seedling
and field crop production for tomatoes between the regions.

In the Central Coast (Quang Nam, Da Nang provinces), seed and seedling production
was done entirely by farmers themselves on a small scale to supply their household
demand. This meant that seedling production was around 500-several thousand.
Production was not in a net house, and seedlings were not grafted, despite bacterial
wilt being recognised as a problem. There are 2 seasons, with transplanting commonly
in December-March, and April-September, with the crop lasting for approximately
2.5 months. The most commonly grown tomato was the local, open-pollinated variety
BOM. Seed was normally produced by the farmers from their previous crop. Tomato
fields were commonly between 360-720 m
2
. The major pest and disease problems
were bacterial wilt fruit caterpillar and TYLCV, with flooding in autumn also
frequently causing major crop losses. Interestingly, there was no understanding of the
relationship between TYLCV and its vector, silverleaf whitefly, Bemesi tabaci. In
some districts in Quang Nam (e.g. Phuong truong Xuan in Tam Ky), one district
identified location for FFS, most farmers had ceased growing tomatoes because of
regular crop failure from bacterial wilt. Average yield is around 20 tonnes/ha.
Tomatoes are sold locally (in Da Nang sometimes also to supermarkets), at a price of
4-5000 VND/kg. In Quang Nam, the prices received for tomatoes are generally lower
(closer to 2000-3000 VND/kg), and the sub-PPD estimated an average return to
farmers would be around 300,000 VND/60m
2
(50,000,000 VND/ha). There is the
opportunity for future market expansion as a result of recent developments in Hon La
Economic Zone Quang Ngai province as well as the Dung Quat Industrial Zone and
Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in Quang Nam. In Da Nang, the majority of tomato
and cucumber farmers were women (probably because men could find jobs in Da
Nang city), whereas in Quang Nam, there was a higher proportion of male farmers.

4

In the Red River Delta (RRD), all three provinces surveyed had seedling production
on a medium scale (e.g., Van Lam district - Hung Yen province and Vinh Tuong
district - Vinh Phuc province). Here, seedling producers produced between several
hundred thousand to several million tomato seedlings, generally to supply growers
within their province. Production was in a mesh or shadehouse, but in the ground.
Grafting was not practised. However, a very small number of farmers purchased
grafted tomato seedlings from FAVRI (through its commercial arm, CIDHOP). There
were a range of tomato varieties grown in the RRD. More than 90% of farmers bought
F1 hybrid tomato seed from the local agents, who were normally supplied pesticides,
and sometimes fertilisers. These agents also sometimes provided farmers with advice
on crop production and selection of pesticides. Popular varieties included Perfect 89
(August plantings) (Syngenta), P375 (November) (Known You seed Co) VL642,
VL2003, VL2004 and VL2910 (Lotus Seed Co.), and Savior (Syngenta). Only a few
farmers in RRD (approximately 2%) produced open-pollinated tomato seeds for their
own use. Small plantings of cherry tomatoes also occurred in Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc;
these were mainly used for processing. Size of tomato fields was commonly 350-1000
m
2
. There are normally two tomato crops per year in most RRD provinces. The main
season commences in September-October, with transplanting occurring then, and
harvesting completed in December-January. The off season crop is transplanted in
Feb-March, with harvest finishing in May-June. The major pests and diseases were
late blight, TYLCV and bacterial wilt, with fruit caterpillar being a problem in some
districts. Heavy rain and waterlogging also affected crop production in some
provinces, and crops in provinces near Ha Noi were sometimes totally flooded.
Reported yields varied, depending on locality and season. Yield was commonly
reported to be around 30 tonnes/ha although much higher yields of 40-80 tonnes/ha in
were reported for some districts in Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc. Fruit was generally sold

locally, but was also sold to wholesalers where it made its way to the Ha Noi markets.
Prices for tomatoes varied from as low as 1500 VND/kg, due to market oversupply,
but were commonly around 3000 VND/kg. Prices were highly volatile, and depended
on season, weather (including flooding), availability of fruit from Lam Dong and
China, and earliness within the season. It was reported that in Ha Nam farmers in a
good season could receive up to 120 million VND/ha. Costs of production of non-
grafted tomatoes were estimated by sub-PPD staff to be approximately 40% of

5
returns, excluding labour. In Ha Noi and Hai Phong, the majority of tomato and
cucumber farmers were women, as males had other jobs in the cities.

Lam Dong province in the Central Highlands is the largest production area for
tomatoes in Vietnam. As a result, specialized and professional seedling production is
undertaken on a large scale. There are at least 40 seedling producers in Lam Dong.
They commonly produce from several million-12 million tomato seedlings per
annum, with all of them growing other vegetable seedlings too. All producers have
large net houses, and seedling production is in trays. Usually, more than 40% of
tomato seedlings are grafted to bacterial wilt-resistant tomato rootstock. Seedlings are
sold mainly in Lam Dong, but orders are also transported outside the province. The
most commonly produced tomato variety is Anna (Seminis), because of its yield, size,
oval shape and uniform deep red colour. Size of tomato fields is larger than the other
regions, and is commonly several thousand square metres. Most crops are field
planted, but increasingly are being produced in net houses or greenhouses. Tomato
crops may be grown all year round, but the main (Spring-Summer) crop is
transplanted around February-March, and is completed in June-July. The Autumn-
Winter crop is normally transplanted around August, and is completed in December.
Major problems are bacterial wilt, late blight in rainy season crops, and the viruses
TYLCV and TSWV. Yield is normally more than 60-80 tonnes/ha, but can be over
120 tonnes/ha in well-managed crops. Tomatoes are commonly sold to agents or

collectors, for distribution throughout Vietnam, but particularly Ho Chi Minh City.
They are also exported to Cambodia. Prices to farmers vary, but are normally around
3500-4000 VND/kg.

Cucumbers

The survey showed that there were significant differences in many aspects of field
production of cucumbers between the regions. In all regions, however, cucumbers are
generally sown at seed, and are not transplanted. First harvest occurs around 35 days
after sowing and harvesting continues for approximately 8 weeks, although this varies
slightly with variety, season and district. There was, however a difference in varieties
of cucumbers grown for the fresh market between the different regions and even
provinces. The major reason for this was the appearance of the cucumbers and local

6
market acceptance rather than other agronomic factors, such disease resistance. The
most important parameter was fruit skin colour, but fruit size and shape were also
considered important.

In the Central Coast, the size of cucumber fields is approximately 200-500m
2
. There
are a number of cucumber varieties, all F1 hybrids, used including Trang Nong
varieties, especially Trang Nong 133, Happy 14 (Southern Seed Co); and in Quang
Nam the most common varieties used are Chaiyo 578 (Dai Dia Co, Chia Tai Co) and
Amata 765
(Chia Tai Co). The major reported pests and diseases are thrips, white fly,
and downy and powdery mildew. Farmers commonly apply 5-6 pesticide applications,
mainly for mildews. Harvested fruit are preferred dark green, normally 18.5 to 20 cm
long, approximately 4.5 cm width in the middle, and around 250-300 g. Yield varies,

but is commonly between 25-30 tonnes/ha for hybrid cucumbers. For the older, open-
pollinated varieties yield is lower and around 15-20 tonne/ha. Cucumbers sell for
lower prices than tomatoes, at between 2000 and 2500 VND/kg in Da Nang.
However, in Quang Nam, farmers in main season may receive as little as 1000
VND/kg, but higher in off-season. It was estimated that farmers could receive around
150 million VND/ha under these circumstances. In Quang Nam and Da Nang,
cucumbers may be grown for three seasons in the year, namely December-February,
March-June, June-September. Shortages of cucumbers can occur in August-
September.

In the RRD, the majority of cucumbers are grown for the fresh market, but there are
significant plantings of processing (baby pickled) cucumbers in Hung Yen
(particularly Kim Dong district - Phu Thinh commune) Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc.
Production of processing cucumbers is highly regulated by the processing companies,
which provide the seed and set standards for harvested fruit. Returns are lower than
for fresh fruit production, but are less volatile. Processed cucumbers are exported to
Russia and former USSR countries. For fresh production, the major varieties used are
all F1 hybrids- Ninja 179, Amata 765 (Chia Tai Co), Trang Nong 20, Hung Thinh
(Trang Nong Co). Most seed is bought by farmers from local pesticide/farm produce
stores. Fresh cucumbers can be grown most of the year, but the main crops are
February-May and August/September –December/January. In Ha Nam, there can be
three crops- Winter-Spring, Spring-Summer, and Summer-Autumn. This province

7
also has the largest plantings of cucumbers of any in the CARD project. Yield is
commonly around 30-35 tonnes/ha but may be as high as 40 tonnes. Major pest and
disease problems are powdery and downy mildew, gummy stem blight, cucumber
mosaic and thrips. Cucumbers are sold locally, or to agents for markets in Ha Noi.
Returns are commonly 2500-3500 VND/kg. PPD staff estimated that production costs
for cucumbers were around 35-40% of returns (excluding labour).

There are no cucumbers produced in Lam Dong province. The cucumbers for Ho Chi
Minh City markets are produced in areas surrounding the city, particularly Cu Chi.
While this area was not part of the project, we met Dr Ngo Quang Vinh of IAS,
located in Ho Chi Minh City, to discuss evaluation trials of cucumber varieties at Cu
Chi. This was done to identify whether varieties which performed well in the north
and in the central coast would be suitable for production in the south of Vietnam.


Skills of seed producers/distributors (Southern Seed Company).
Southern Seed Joint Stock company, based in Ho Chi Minh City, commenced in 1975
as a state enterprise, and was converted to a joint stock company in 2005. Apart from
its main offices in Ho Chi Minh City it also has branch office in Ha Noi and a branch
office in Phnom Penh. Southern Seed operates six manufacturing facilities and
employs over 300 people.
Its main activities are research, development,
manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of agricultural seeds, particularly rice,
hybrid corn, and vegetables. It produces a large proportion of its seeds in Viet Nam,
but also imports and repackages seeds from USA, Thailand and India. It has seed
quality control laboratories, and regularly checks batches of seeds during storage and
prior to despatch.

Southern Seeds has three experimental farms in various provinces in Viet Nam, and,
in addition, conducts evaluation and demonstration trials in farmers’ fields.

The largest of SSC’s farms is in Phu Giao district in Binh Duong province. It is 80
hectares and mainly used for vegetable seed production farm, with the major seed
crops being cucumber, corn, pumpkin, long bean, luffa, bitter gourd, watermelon, and
chilli. It is the major production area for F1 hybrid cucumber production: 1ha

8
cucumbers produces 200 kg seed. Crops are rotated to minimise disease, and drip
irrigation is employed for a number of crops (e.g. luffa, watermelon, bitter gourd, long
bean. Seed crops are grown in the seasons with minimal pest and disease problems.

The major location for SSC’s tomato evaluation and hybrid production is Lam Ha
district in Lam Dong. The area is ideal for tomato production. Hybrid seed is
produced in the off-season. In addition, tomato evaluation trials are conducted in the
South in Long An, Ben Tre and Tien Giang provinces, and in the North in the district
of Thanh Tri in Ha Noi. It sells seed throughout Viet Nam, as well as to Cambodia
and Laos.

Senior SSC staff were questioned about their ability to produce F1 hybrids, and it
was immediately clear that the company has both the knowledge and expertise to
produce hybrid vegetable seeds. The company currently produces hybrid cucumbers
and tomatoes, as well as watermelon and corn, so we were convinced they could
produce the F1 hybrids required in CARD 06/025. They were also quizzed as to their
knowledge and interest in GAP. The staff displayed a good knowledge of both the
principles and practices of GAP. They have quality control systems in place, both to
meet Ministerial Standards for seed quality, but also to maintain customer
satisfaction. The company is outward-looking. SSC is a member of The Asia and
Pacific Seed Association, and has links with international seed companies, including
in Australia. They expressed a particular interest in both evaluating AVRDC disease-
resistant tomato varieties, and also producing any superior F1 hybrids for variety
registration in Vietnam.


9
Attitudes, practices and experience of nursery/seedling producers

There are no seedling producers for cucumbers, because the cucumbers are grown
from seed planted directly in the ground. So this section will describe findings from
tomato seedling producers only.

In the Central Coast (Quang Nam, Da Nang provinces), seed and seedling production
was done entirely by farmers themselves on a small scale to supply their household
demand. This meant that seedling production was around 500-several thousand.
Production was not in a net house, and seedlings were not grafted, despite bacterial
wilt being recognised as a problem. Thus, seedling producers had the same (low,
compared to the other regions) level of skills and knowledge as farmers generally.

In the Red River Delta (RRD), all three provinces surveyed had seedling production
on a medium scale (e.g., Van Lam district - Hung Yen province and Vinh Tuong
district - Vinh Phuc province). Here, seedling producers produced between several
hundred thousand to several million tomato seedlings, generally to supply growers
within their province. A number of the seedling producers were also tomato growers,
but this was not always the case. Production was in a mesh or shadehouse, but in the
ground. Grafting was not practised by any seedling producer, except at FAVRI. A
very small number of farmers purchased grafted tomato seedlings from FAVRI
(through its commercial arm, CIDHOP).

With the exception of the CIDHOP staff, most of whom were also staff of FAVRI,
nursery staff in the RRD provinces had limited knowledge of tomato pests and
diseases, and little knowledge of the range of safe pesticide options available for
tomato production (e.g. PSOs), although many were aware of IPM through their
experience of training in IPM for other crops. They had no knowledge of GAP, and
none of the nurseries maintained records at level required for VietGAP compliance.
More than half of the nurseries kept no written records except for sales of plants.

Lam Dong province in the Central Highlands is the largest production area for

tomatoes in Vietnam. As a result, specialized and professional seedling production is
undertaken on a large scale. There are at least 40 seedling producers in Lam Dong.

10
They commonly produce from several million -12 million tomato seedlings per
annum, with all of them growing other vegetable seedlings too. All producers have
large net houses, and seedling production is in trays. Usually, more than 40% of
tomato seedlings are grafted to bacterial wilt-resistant tomato rootstock. Seedlings are
sold mainly in Lam Dong, but orders are also transported outside the province. Never-
the-less, there was still quite a deal of variation in the quality of nursery operators’
level of knowledge, skills and nursery hygiene. The best seedling producer in Lam
Dong was identified as Mr. Nguyen Hong Phong, Ductrong district. Mr
Phong had
received international training, and his nursery set-up was of a high standard, even for
international seedling production. His knowledge and skills and record keeping, and
those of his senior staff (including his wife) were of a very high standard, and so he
was invited to be an active participant in the project. We were happy that he agreed.
The level of knowledge and skills of other nursery producers was lower. While most
kept records, they did not include use of fertilizers and pesticides, nor worker training
and safety records. Most nursery operators in Lam Dong had heard of GAP, but were
unsure about the practices required for GAP certification.

Knowledge, skills and attitudes of farmers

In Quang Nam, farmers had almost no knowledge of best practice methods for tomato
or cucumber production. There had been no training in IPM in vegetables in the
districts we surveyed, nor even in any aspect of production of tomatoes or cucumbers,
let alone safe production. Consequently, they had limited knowledge of pests and
diseases (for example, they did not understand the relationship between invest vectors
and virus diseases, nor were they aware of other varieties of vegetables which might

have higher disease tolerance), and no knowledge of grafting tomatoes. In the Hoi An
area, however, training for farmers in several communes had been provided in safe
leafy vegetable production and record keeping several years previously, but no farmer
we visited was keeping written records, despite claiming to be producing “safe”
vegetables. This district was not part of the CARD project. In one district (Tam Ky) in
Quang Nam, which had been nominated for tomato and cucumber training FFS,
tomatoes had not been produced for a number of years, because of the severity of
bacterial wilt. Farmers had some understanding of IPM, mainly as a result of training

11
in rice IPM, but there was no knowledge of GAP. Farmers did not keep written
records.

In the Red River Delta, farmers generally had good knowledge of pests and diseases
of tomatoes and cucumbers, but limited knowledge of range of pesticides available
(especially safer pesticides, such as PSOs). Most had heard about grafted tomato
seedlings, but few knew sufficient about the practice to request or buy grafted plants.
There was no knowledge of GAP, and almost no record keeping. Farmers generally
thought that GAP certification would be a good idea, but could not say why they
thought so.

In Lam Dong, farmers had the best knowledge about tomato production. However,
there was no cucumber production in this province. Most farmers could identify the
major pests and diseases of tomatoes, and while they were aware of safe vegetable
production and IPM, they did not generally take this into account in selection of
pesticides. There were several farmers we visited who were producing their tomatoes
in net houses, mainly to reduce pest and disease problems. While the houses reduced
entry of tomato caterpillars and reduced incidence of some diseases including virus
diseases, incidence of some other pests (e.g. white flies) was higher than in field
grown crops. Farmers varied in the level of records they kept, but none were adequate

for VietGAP certification.

Knowledge, skills and attitudes of PPD staff

The sub-PPD staff in all provinces visited expressed strong interest in participating in
the CARD project. None of the potential trainers, even in Lam Dong, had conducted
FFS training in tomato and/or cucumber production. They displayed good knowledge
of the principles and practices of IPM and the major tomato and cucumber pests and
diseases, but were less aware of best practices in tomato and cucumber production,
such as pruning, grafting of tomatoes, and use of disease-resistant tomato and
cucumber varieties. All expressed the need for training in project workshops in best
practice for tomato and cucumber production, as well as use of PSOs and resistant
varieties of tomato and cucumber. This matter was taken up with Mr Ngo Tien Dung,
IPM Coordinator PPD, Ha Noi.

12

Trainers were also asked if they were aware of the GAP concept and what the main
purpose and core components of GAP are. All were aware of the term GAP but none
were aware that GAP is a retail and consumer driven concept to deliver safe food to
retail outlets with minimum environmental impact in production. They were not
aware of traceability of product and record keeping as core concepts of GAP. The
most common response was that GAP involved implementation of best practice,
including IPM. It should be noted that, when this survey was being undertaken, the
Declaration of VietGAP had not been made by the Ministry, although GlobalGap
(formerly EurepGAP) and ASEANGAP had been in place for some time.

We discussed with the sub-PPD staff about the level of farmer compliance with GAP
requirements. Quite high compliance was estimated for application of only officially
registered pesticides and for compliance with pre-harvest interval. However PPSD

staff did not have a full understanding of the GAP requirements for a registered
product. The GAP requirement for a registered pesticide is that the pesticide is
specifically registered for the targeted crop (tomato or cucumber in our case) while
PPD staff described a registered product as a pesticide registered for any crop in
Vietnam that has not been placed on the list of banned pesticides. Consequently, if no
specific pre-harvest interval was set for tomato or cucumber (because the product was
not registered for these crops) then no compliance with this requirement is possible.
Compliance with the pre-harvest interval requirement is important because of
continuous harvesting throughout much of the year. Compliance with the requirement
for training in pesticide use is relatively high for other crops, particularly rice, but
compliance with requirement for use of safety gear and training in safe pesticide use
is very low. There are no pesticide residues checks or appropriate pesticide storage
and disposal facilities or procedures. However, we observed that quantities of
pesticides for vegetable production kept at the farmers’ properties are very small, but
unfortunately, empty pesticide containers were found lying around houses or in the
field. Storage and handling of pesticide in pesticide shops should be also be
considered in any GAP implementation strategy because the small village pesticide
shops are were the pesticides are stored for local farmer needs.


13
Key Markets and market requirements for local and supermarket outlets,
including potential to supply GAP vegetables to Ha Noi.

1. HA NOI WET MARKET

The Long Bien wet market in Ha Noi was visited in June, 2007. Four cucumber
wholesalers and three tomato wholesalers were interviewed. The interview questions
and the responses of the individual wholesalers are presented as Appendix 3.

Cucumbers
Cucumbers were generally sourced from provinces in the Red River Delta,
particularly Hung Yen, Vinh Phuc and Bac Giang
. These are sourced commonly
directly from farmers. These may be sourced throughout the year, but mainly in April
and November-December, because they are in shorter supply and more expensive at
other times of the year.

Of the six criteria on which the wholesalers based their selection of cucumbers, the
two most important were variety and appearance, followed by source of supply, taste
and storage life. The least important was labels (such as safe production). The
wholesalers also believed that appearance and variety (colour, size, shape) were the
most important criteria for their customers to select. The wholesale price for
cucumbers in June was around 2000-2500 VND/kg.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes were sourced in season from the Red River Delta, e.g. Bac Ninh, Hai
Phong, but out of season they were sourced from Lam Dong and China. While some
tomatoes could be bought directly from farmers, the traders also bought from
wholesalers, especially from other areas of Vietnam or China.

Of the six criteria on which the wholesalers based their selection of tomatoes, these
were markedly different from cucumbers, with storage ability being ranked highest,
followed by source of supply and appearance, then taste, and variety. As with
cucumbers, the least important criterion was certified safe production. The wholesale
price for tomatoes in June was 4,500-5000 VND/kg. June-August was the most

14
expensive time for tomatoes. Tomatoes from China at this time could be sold for up to
1000 VND/kg.

General
All traders kept records of what they sold, but did not appear to have any clear policy
about what they did if they received fruit of poor quality.

In general, GAP was not a high priority, with none expressing any knowledge of or
interest in GAP. They also did not know whether certified safe or organically-grown
cucumbers would fetch a higher price at the wet markets.

2. SUPERMARKET OUTLET- METRO SURVEY

A survey was conducted by the team from CARD 06/031 in April 2008. The
questions, similar to those used for the Hanoi wet markets, had been previously
(December 2007) sent to Dr Gordon Rogers. The interview survey was conducted at
Metro Cash & Carry Wholesale Trading Center, Co Nhue, Tu Liem district, Ha Noi,
with Mr Thang Long, Fresh Produce Purchasing Manager, Metro. The Interview form
is presented as Appendix 4.

Cucumbers are sourced locally, and either purchased directly from farmers but mainly
from “middle men” collectors. Cucumbers can be sourced all year, and quality is
generally satisfactory throughout the year. The major selection criterion is price, as
varieties grown in the Red River Delta are generally similar in appearance and
quality.

Tomatoes are purchased from the Red River Delta, particularly Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen
and Ha Noi, but also from Lam Dong. Again, these are most commonly sourced from
middle men, but sometimes from larger farmers. Tomatoes of the highest quality
come from Lam Dong, but the price is higher. Metro therefore selects on both quality
and price, and sells both types of tomatoes. Poorest quality tomatoes occur in summer.
Metro has specific selection criteria for tomatoes. The first is size (specified minimum

70g), then freshness (maximum 2-3 days after harvest). Appearance and storage life
are also important. Regarding taste- in south Vietnam, tomatoes are more commonly

15
used fresh in salads, so taste is important. In the north, tomatoes are more commonly
used in cooking, so colour is more important than taste.

Metro believes that while customers have similar selection criteria to themselves, they
are primarily driven by price. Metro would not discuss purchase or selling prices for
their produce. They also keep very detailed records, but considered these
commercially confidential. With regard to safe vegetables and GAP, Metro is
currently selling certified safe leafy vegetables, and would be interested in safe fruity
vegetables, but not organically produced vegetables, at this stage. While Metro
believes that safe vegetables should sell for a higher price, they could not say what
this premium was likely to be. A subsequent visit to Metro stores by the FAVRI/UWS
team suggested that safe leafy vegetables were not selling at a premium, or at most, a
very minimal premium.

Identification of opportunities for project interventions to provide economic,
social and environmental benefits to smallholders

Several opportunities for incorporation into the project were identified, as a result of
the baseline study.

First, the large difference between farming practices, especially for tomato
production, between the region indicated that the advanced techniques used in Lam
Dong and to some extent in some districts in the Red River Delta, could be shared
amongst the trainers, and ultimately included in the FFS. It was, therefore seen as
imperative that the two Training of Trainers sessions should be at Ha Noi/FAVRI and
PVFC/Da Lat, and that during the workshops, trainers should visit production sites

displaying best practice in tomato (and cucumber, for FAVRI) production, but at a
level of technology appropriate for implementation in Viet Nam.

Second, the importance of grafting technology for tomato production was recognised
as an important advance in safe and economic tomato production. While it was widely
practiced in Lam Dong, it had limited adoption in the Red River Delta, and none in
the Central Coast. It was, therefore, decided to include tomato seedling grafting as a
key topic for the TOT workshops, and furthermore, to provide, wherever possible,
grafted tomato seedlings for the FFS demonstration blocks in all regions.

16
Third, the strong interest of Southern Seeds in the AVRDC tomato germplasm as well
as their clear ability to evaluate tomato varieties, lead us to invite them to be part of
the field evaluation trials for tomato- an offer which they accepted. This meant there
were four, not three, institutions evaluating tomatoes.

Fourth, following discussions with Dr Ngo Quang Vinh from IAS, we thought that an
evaluation site for cucumber varieties in the South would be beneficial. We therefore
asked Dr Vinh to conduct such a field trial, incorporating FAVRI varieties in the trial.
We earmarked funds outside the CARD project for this additional work, but
considered it a useful addition to the project’s activities.

Conclusions
It is clear from the information collected from the surveys, interviews and
observations that there are marked differences in the tomato and cucumber growing
practices used in the Central Coast, Red River Delta and central Highlands (Lam
Dong). This was most obvious for tomatoes. Lam Dong had the most knowledgeable,
skilled and experienced tomato farmers. The production techniques were also the
most advanced, including seedling production. Consequently, yields were the highest.
In the Red River Delta, there was a deal of variability even between districts in the

same province, in the knowledge and abilities of the farmers. The level of
infrastructure, such as supply of quality tomato seedlings, was not as good as in Lam
Dong. However, cucumber production techniques were quite well advanced. In the
Central Coast, tomato farmers did not display the production skills and knowledge at
the level of the other regions and, unfortunately, had no exposure to training in either
tomato or cucumber production.

For cucumbers, the most advanced production methods were evident in the Red River
Delta. This is probably because of the extensive plantings there, the presence of
processing facilities and the associated farmer training, and the good work of FAVRI
in extension in this region.

Farmers still need to acquire more skills in recognising pests and diseases and
particularly in understanding the relationship between virus diseases and their insect

17
vectors. Spray technology is based on knapsack sprayers with no real calibration of
sprayers or proper calculation of spray volumes or pesticide dose.

There is currently virtually no compliance with GAP requirements by farmers and the
majority of seedling producers. While most farmers currently sell to local markets,
there is an increasing proportion of tomatoes from Lam Dong and some districts in the
Red River Delta (e.g. Hai Phong) and cucumbers from the Red River Delta being sold
to the expanding supermarket trade. Under these circumstances, it is likely that
farmers will be increasingly required to comply some form of GAP, whether this is
VietGAP or one imposed by the supermarket.

18
APPENDIX 1
Baseline Survey 2007: Seedling producer/distributor

Name of Respondent _______________________Date of Interview ________________
Province___________________________ Interviewer __________________________
District/Village ______________________________________



Background Information

1. Sex: ______ 1) Male
______ 2) Female

2. What is your age? ___________ years

3. What are your educational qualifications?________________________

4 What is your position in the organisation ________________________

5. Explain briefly what do you do in the organisation?_______________________

6. How many years have you been involved in this work?
_________________________

7 In your organisation, who conducts the following?

Activity Decision Execution
Seedling production
Selection of varieties to produce
Soil or growing media management

Selection and purchasing of fertilisers
Irrigation
Pest and disease monitoring
Selection and purchasing of pesticides
Application of pesticides
Marketing
Selecting and purchasing equipment



19
8. Which plant varieties do you produce?

Production

Name of
Varieties
Number of Seedlings Do you produce in a net house
Tomatoes

For tomato seedlings, do
you graft? (Yes/No)


Cucumbers








Bitter melon

For cucumber seedlings
do you graft? (Yes/No)




9. Where did you get your planting material (please tick the boxes that apply to you)?

Source All Most Few
From Vietnamese
seed company

From
International seed

company

Own farm
Another farmer
Other

10. What kind of fertilizer do you use

Number of applications per year
Manure
Compost
Urea
Other mineral fertilizer
Foliar fertilizer


20

11 How important are the following pests and diseases in your production (tick the
appropriate box)?

Pest/disease Very important Important Not important Don’t know
aphids
caterpillars
fruit fly
whitefly
mites
leafminer
thrips
snails and slugs

nematodes
bacterial wilt
bacterial spot
geminivirus
fusarium
Other insect
pests
(name)

Other diseases
(name)


12. Do you feel confident about your ability to:


Skill Cannot
do
Do by
yourself but
with
assistance
Do by
yourself with
confidence
Select the best plant varieties to
produce


Apply fertilizer at right time and

right quantity

Distinguish between symptoms of
disease and insect damage

Accurately recognise damage of
key pests and diseases

Choose best pesticide for control
of major pests and diseases

Prepare pesticide solutions at
concentration specified on the
label

Determine and use appropriate

21
OH&S practices in the
organisation
Store agrochemicals in accordance
to manufacturer’s instructions

Keep accurate records of
operational activities

Calculate net profit
Budget for next production season
Apply GAP principles

13. What best describes your organisation’s attitude to GAP?

a Know little about it, so cannot comment
b Know something about GAP but do no see benefits
c Not interested in GAP
d Interested in implementing GAP, but need more assistance or information
e Currently implementing GAP

14. For what reasons would your organisation adopt GAP?
______________________________________________________________________

15 a Where are your pesticides stored?_____________________________
b What is the reason for this location?____________________________

16 a Who is responsible for safety matters in your organisation?
________________________

b Do you have written safety procedures?_________________

17 Which of the following pesticide safety equipment is used in your organisation

Always Occasionally Never
Protective mask
Cloth on mouth and
nose

Long sleeves shirt
and trousers

Water resistant
protective clothing

Gum boots
Water resistant
gloves

Hat

18. Do you agree with the following statements

Agree Disagree Not
sure
Farmers that comply with GAP cannot use knapsack but only
modern motorized sprayer

Farmers that are certified to comply with GAP will get more
profit for their products

It is not important for GAP where pesticide are stored

22
because that does not influence pesticide residues on
vegetables
Only larger wealthier farmers can implement GAP
Farmers cannot use pesticide if they want to get GAP
certificate

It is much easier for farmers to get GAP certificate if they are
organized in cooperatives

Farmers can use mineral fertilizer as part of GAP but they
have to keep record of their use.

To meet GAP requirements farmers have to use planting
material from known source

I cannot get GAP certification if I do not have computer to
keep records

The most important requirement of GAP is keeping good
records of all farm practices

To get economic benefits of GAP farmers should sell their
produce to GAP certified wholesalers



18 Do you keep records of: production? ________________
pesticide use?_______________
fertiliser use? ________________

19 a How many seedlings did you to produce last season?_______________
b How much time would you require to double your output?______________

20 a How do you check the quality of your product? _______________________
b Do you guarantee your product to farmers? ____________________


21. If you need advice on seedling production, where do you get it?

_______________________________________________________________



23
APPENDIX 2

Estimated areas of plantings of tomatoes and cucumbers in key
provinces in CARD project 06/025

Province District Area Tomatoes* Area Cucumbers*
THAI BINH Thai Thuy 150 370
Tien Hai 45 30
Kien Xuong 120 300
Dong Hung 40 50
Hung Ha 215 170
Quynh Phu 450 300
Vu Thu 150 250
TP Thai Binh 20 35
TOTAL 1190 1505
HAI PHONG Do Son mainly
Kien Thuy mainly
Tien Lang some 60
Vinh Bao some some
An Duong some 55
An Lao some 5
Thuy Nguyen mainly
TOTAL 1800 420
VINH PHUC Me Linh 350
Yen Lac 100

Vinh Tuong 200 120
Tam Duong 500
Tam Dao 50
TP Vinh Yen 10
TOTAL 610 670
HA NAM Ly Nhan 120 3900
Kim Bang 100 3000
Duy Tien 75 1800

24
Thanh Liem 56 1800
Binh Luc 20 800
TX Phu Ly 13 80
TOTAL 384 11380
HUNG YEN Phu Cu 70 150
Tien Lu 115 135
Kim Dong 20 10
Khoai Chau 35 25
Van Giang 154 80
Van Lam 130 40
Yen My 60 30
TX Hung Yen 30 40
TOTAL 614 510
HA NOI Long Bien 45 18
Thanh Tri 255
Dong Anh 70 75
Soc Son 19
Gia Lam 30 190
TOTAL 400 302
QUANG NAM Tam Ky, Phu Ninh, Nui

Thanh, Thang Binh, Que
Son, Duy Xuyen, Hoi
An, Dien Ban, Dai Loc
Tam Ky, Phu Ninh, Nui
Thanh, Thang Binh, Que
Son, Duy Xuyen, Hoi
An, Dien Ban, Dai Loc
TOTAL 220 280

* Total planting over all crops in 1 year.


25
APPENDIX 3

Survey of key markets and market requirements for local markets
(Long Bien wet markets Ha Noi).


Cucumber 1 Wholesale traders: Pham Van Toan

1. What is the source(s) of your produce
* location where they were produced? DongThan-Yen Mai- Hung Yen
* who did you buy the produce from: the farmer, the wholesaler,
someone else?
2. Where are the preferred production locations from where you source your
cucumber? HungYen, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc
3. What time of the year can you source these fresh vegetables, and from where?
April, November and December
4. Please prioritise the most important criteria on which you base your selection

of vegetables of the following
• variety 2
• source (location of production) 3
• appearance 1
• taste 4
• labels: e.g. safe food 6
• storage ability 5
• other (please name)
5. Which of these above criteria are most important to your clients? Appearance
6. What is your price for buying price tomatoes and/or cucumbers, what is your
selling price? 2,000 VND/kg How do these prices differ at different times of
the year? March, September: expensive
7. What do you do when you receive products that are not of sufficient quality?
don’t know
8. What records do you keep of the vegetables that you trade? Yes, sales
9. Explain what you know about EurepGAP and ASEANGAP. Nothing
10. What best describes your organisation’s attitude to GAP?
a Know little about it, so cannot comment
b Know something about GAP but do no see benefits
c Not interested in GAP
d Interested in implementing GAP, but need more assistance
e Currently implementing GAP

11. Do you believe that certified safe or GAP vegetables will receive a higher price than
not certified vegetables? If yes, how much more? Why or why not? Don’t
know