Japonica J02 – a famous rice variety grown in Hanoi

To build brands for its local rice products, the local government has proactively worked with the Hanoi Coordination Office of the New Rural Development Program, along with strategic and technical consultants, to complete the OCOP process for its rice products. Farmers receive comprehensive support to upgrade their rice products through training, technical guidance, brand development and protection, product quality standardization, promotion and market expansion. Rice production has been increasingly standardized by communes, cooperatives and farmers following VietGAP standards, with synchronized mechanization, strengthened biosecurity, improved quality control, and reduced use of pesticides and chemicals. Packaging has also been improved, featuring traceability codes, stamps, labels and vacuum sealing to ensure food hygiene and safety.

A local authority said: To help farmers increase rice value, the local government completed the registration of the “Khu Chay Premium Rice” brand and assigned it to Doan Ket Agricultural Production, Trading and Service Cooperative for use in enhancing product value. In 2020, the “Khu Chay Premium Rice” was evaluated and rated under the OCOP Program and certified as a 4-star product by the Hanoi People's Committee. Thanks to the OCOP certification and the collective brand, the economic value of Khu Chay rice has increased significantly, hence bringing great joy to local farmers.

After more than five years of implementation in Hanoi, the SRI organic-oriented cultivation model using J02 rice variety has delivered high economic efficiency, exceeding the set targets. Currently, Hanoi’s agricultural sector is working hard to connect four key stakeholders to produce and consume rice for local farmers.

In its efforts to build the Khu Chay rice brand, Doan Ket Agricultural Production and Trading Cooperative in Van Dinh commune has long adopted high-tech solutions, from using quality J02 rice variety to applying mechanization throughout soil preparation, crop care and harvesting. As a result, rice harvesting has become more convenient for farmers.

Ms. Cao Thi Thuy, Director of Doan Ket Agricultural Production and Trading Cooperative, said that, knowing that farmers want to sell freshly harvested rice right on fields rather than dry it themselves before selling it, the cooperative invested in a modern rice drying system with a daily capacity of 300 tons and a modern rice milling system that filters out broken grains and impurities. This line produces shiny premium rice suitable for distribution in supermarkets and high-quality rice stores. The product is also planned for export.

Apart from directly leasing fields for rice production, Doan Ket also partners with other cooperatives to form a rice production value chain, providing services such as seedling trays, rice transplanting machines, pesticides, dryers and product procurement. On average, each harvesting season, the cooperative produces and sells over 7,000 tons of rice, primarily the J02 variety, known for its round grains, tender texture, rich flavor and pleasant aroma.

To enhance productivity and reduce costs, Doan Ket has invested VND1.8 billion in three unmanned drones for rice production. Each drone can sow seeds or spray pesticides over dozens of hectares a day, thereby reducing labor costs, protecting farmers' health, and improving pest control effectiveness. To raise rice quality, the cooperative has built a drying system with a daily capacity of 300 tons and developed a modern milling system capable of filtering out broken grains and impurities, hence meeting requirements in supermarkets and distributor channels and paving the way for a further goal, export.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Phuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, in the 2025 spring crop, Hanoi will plant nearly 80,000 ha of rice, including nearly 10,000 ha (12.51%) fully applied with the SRI method. The SRI intensive rice farming model significantly slashes CH₄ emissions. This is also one of the solutions of the Agriculture and Environment sector to move toward green agriculture and circular agriculture and achieve the city’s double-digit growth target. At the same time, it helps create a key agricultural product for export markets.

Hanoi’s agricultural sector will strive to increase the share of high-quality rice varieties to over 80% of the total cultivated area. The city aims to maintain and develop 200 specialized areas for Japonica and premium rice production, applied with safety, VietGAP and organic standards to meet export requirements. At the same time, Hanoi will form 3-5 domestic and export-oriented value chains to expand markets for premium rice, thus creating a foundation for sustainable production.