Soc Trang Expands Dairy Farming

Rearing dairy cows in Soc Trang Province Photo: Le Hoang Vu

Soc Trang is calling for investment in dairy farming projects as part of its “Developing dairy cows in Soc Trang Province in 2013-2020” strategy.

The cowshed of Lieu Van Do, a member of Evergrowth Cooperative in Vien An Commune, Tran De District, Soc Trang Province, is now home to 10 cows, from just one in 2004. Each of the cows earns Do VND20-25 million a year, a dream profit for many farmers!

Enormous potential

Do is one of more than 1,500 farmers who have succeeded in rearing dairy cows in Soc Trang. According to Tran Hoang An, director of Evergrowth Cooperative, there are now 3,957 cows raised in the province under the cooperative’s management. Dairy farms are mainly in Tran De, My Xuyen, My Tu and Chau Thanh districts. On average, a farmer can gain annual turnover of VND45-50 million and profit of VND20 million per cow.

Evergrowth has six milk purchasing outlets in Tai Van, Thuan Hung, Tham Don, Vien An, Dai Tam and Thuan Hung communes.

The cooperative has set out standards with which farmers are able to rear milk cows in a sustainable way. The cooperative also maximizes benefits for farmers, from ensuring milk purchases at highly stable prices to supplying inputs such as bran, veterinary medicines and services at low prices. A team of five well-trained veterinarians and 27 veterinary collaborators has been maintained to help farmers raise cows and produce milk in accordance with a high-quality technical process that can minimize costs to increase profits.

A dairy cow can produce 13kg a day this year from 7kg in 2006. The volume of purchased milk has also increased steadily, from 508 kilos in 2004 to 13.5 tons in 2012 and nearly 16 tons in the first 10 months of 2013. The main buyer of Evergrowth’s milk is FrieslandCampina Vietnam (FCV) in Binh Duong Province. In addition, FCV has signed a memorandum of understanding with Soc Trang Province, according to which, FCV will invest 512,395 euros in building a model farm to rear 80 cows, with 50 of them ready to give milk after three years.

Dairy cow herd expansion

The Soc Trang Province People’s Committee has requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to devise the “Developing dairy cows in Soc Trang Province in 2013-2020” project. Cow rearing farms will be located in Van Binh, Lieu Tu and Thach Thoi Thuan communes in Tran De District. By 2020, all communes in Tran De District will have dairy farms in addition to Thanh Phu and Thanh Quoi communes in My Xuyen District; An Hiep, Phu Tan, Thuan Hoa and Ho Dac Kien communes in Chau Thanh District; and the suburbs of Soc Trang City.

Soc Trang Province has sent a document to the Government asking for the approval of using 805 hectares owned by Soc Trang Forestry Co. for rearing dairy cows. In the 2014-2016 period, there will be 50 farms, each covering six hectares with 80 head including 50 ready to give milk. Similar figures are also set for the 2017-2020 period.

Evergrowth Cooperative has also called for support from FCV and the Netherlands’ Rabo Foundation in its effort to raise the milk cow herd and profit. In 2013, the 4,000 dairy cows are expected to yield a profit of VND4.2 billion. In 2014 and 2015, the figures will be 4,500 and VND5.9 billion, and 5,400 and VND6 billion, respectively.