Innovation as the driving force for VFC’s integration and growth

With passion and wholehearted dedication to his work, Mr. Trương Công Cứ – General Director of Vietnam Fumigation Joint Stock Company (VFC) – together with his team has led VFC to expand and integrate over its 50-year journey.

Wearing his signature green shirt, Mr. Cứ shared with pride his 45-year journey with VFC. The green shirt, a symbol of the VFC brand, serves as a reminder of harmony between people and plants, between people and one another, and of the responsibility to protect the living environment.

“The bond of affection” that connects.

After graduating from Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Cứ was assigned to Plant Quarantine Sub-Department Region II (Ho Chi Minh City). One year later, a classmate of his was assigned to Fumigation Team II and unfortunately had an accident while on duty. Following that incident, Mr. Cứ was urgently transferred to Fumigation Team II. The work there was demanding, physically strenuous, and carried significant safety risks. Nevertheless, it opened a new and rewarding chapter in his life, as evidenced by his steadfast 45-year attachment to his work at VFC.

Starting out as a technical officer, he and his colleagues had to work daily in warehouses and board ocean-going vessels to carry out fumigation. What remains most precious to him after more than four decades is the human bond between colleagues. Although the team was small at that time, what tied everyone together was the way the leaders lived and cared for every meal and every night’s rest, as if caring for family members. The days of tireless work with the fumigation team and the warm receptions from customers after each completed job are memories of affection he can never forget.

With the trust and support of the entire team, Mr. Cứ achieved many accomplishments that contributed significantly to the company’s overall development.

The period from 1990 to 2009 marked a phase of strong growth for VFC, highlighted by the company’s equitization and successful stock market listing. Today, beyond the goal of profitability, he and his team continue to explore solutions to increase farmers’ income while minimizing chemical use and promoting biological and organic products.

Looking back on VFC’s journey of building and development, Mr. Cứ believes that the company’s success lies in effectively placing people at the heart of its business philosophy. This is reflected directly in business indicators and indirectly through many intangible factors.

Walking alongside farmers

Each stage of development comes with its own difficulties and advantages. When the market economy opened up, VFC engaged more in exchange and competition, and new technologies were introduced.

When the company transitioned to 100% private capital, VFC marked a turning point in autonomy, higher productivity, improved employee living standards, and strengthened equipment and facilities.

Today, VFC continues its efforts to support farmers and move towards a greener environment. When the Government launched the “One Million Hectares of High-Quality Rice” project to improve farmers’ livelihoods and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, VFC partnered with other entities to implement value-chain models, from seed investment, pest management, and crop nutrition to purchasing farmers’ output. VFC is currently deploying this model in the Mekong Delta with very promising results.

“If in the past we relied heavily on chemical products, there must now be a gradual shift. At present, VFC is focusing on developing biological and organic products to reduce chemical usage and greenhouse gas emissions while still ensuring yields for farmers.”

In the crop protection business today, there is essentially one main distribution channel, but hundreds of companies operating within it, leading to extremely intense competition.

VFC is proud to have adopted from the outset a sound strategy of offering a portfolio of high-quality products that are safe for end users. “We have a quality product portfolio, but our success only comes from the trust and long-term support of millions of farmers over the years. We not only implement competitive market policies but also always bring real benefits to our customers and consider their difficulties as our own. Without walking alongside people and sharing benefits fairly, it would be difficult to have a VFC as it is today,” Mr. Cứ emphasized.

In the agrochemical sector, VFC’s customer care strategy covers three levels: distributors, retail networks, and farmers. VFC focuses on transferring technical solutions, organizing incentive travel programs combined with training for farmers, and implementing various promotional programs. The company places great value on people – not only its internal staff, but also partners and customers.

Unity as the foundation of success

Differences between generations are an essential resource for shared development. The previous generation benefited from strong formative education and life ideals shaped by family, school, and society. Today’s young generation, meanwhile, enjoys favorable conditions for acquiring knowledge, developing skills, and fostering creative thinking. This combination forms a valuable asset for VFC on its “race track” to strengthen its brand and enhance competitiveness with industry peers.

At present, market dynamics are increasingly complex, and business policies sometimes need constant adjustment. Difficulties and challenges exist in every period; the only difference now is the escalating intensity of competition. This reality demands a collective spirit of innovation within VFC—starting with changes in mindset and working approaches at the individual level, and extending to creativity in management and operations across departments, divisions, and the entire business.

“Our strategy has always been sustainable development. VFC’s longstanding tradition is to value people.

We put people at the core. The younger generations must carry the torch so that the VFC family can continue to grow and reach further,” Mr. Cứ stressed.

After periods of severe difficulties and challenges, at times seemingly on the verge of being knocked down, VFC has remained resilient and overcome adversity. Many peers in the industry look at VFC as an extraordinary “miracle” of management capability and fortune. Yet, at a deeper level, the leadership firmly believes that people have always been the true source of every milestone and every success along VFC’s journey.