In Mekong Delta, various fruits have stepped into the ripened crops. Across the traffic routes in Can Tho city, a number of specialty fruits are displayed and sold at booths such as durian, jackfruit, mango, plum, and orange…

Smooth in both domestic and foreign markets

According to dealers, various fruits are sold at reduced costs since they are entering the season. The mango tree is at the end of the harvest season, although this year the price is fairly low compared to prior years. Currently, the price of mangoes in Hoa Loc is VND 20,000 - 25,000 per kg; Cat Chu mango average price is VND 10,000 per kg, and Taiwanese mango is VND 5,000 per kg...

The price of lemons and oranges is now around VND 6,000 - 7,000 per kg producing an income of roughly VND 110 - 130 million per hectare for growers. The price of pomelo is at VND 20,000 per kg, the average output is 15 tons of fruits per hectare, creating an income of up to VND 300 million.

Despite lower pricing than those of past years, output of some items seems favorable in both local and overseas markets. Durian is the plant bringing great economic efficiency, creating opportunities to upraise income and living standards for farmers. Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, durian is one of a few fruits with steady pricing owing to good consumption in the domestic market.

Recently, Ri6 durian orchard of Mr. Nguyen Van Kiet in Can Tho city approaches the age of 10, delivering him 1.7 tons of fruits annually.

He sold the durian at VND 55,000 per kg to dealers who come to buy the fruit straight at the orchard and then resale it to store chains. He anticipated generating VND 70 million in profit, 15-20 percent higher than that of the previous harvest.

Ms. Pham Thi Minh Hieu, Director of Can Tho City Subdepartment of Crop Production and Plant Protection revealed that the city has about 23,500 acres of numerous sorts of fruits, which are approaching harvest season. According to the evaluation, this year fruits generate high capacity and have steady production owing to connection with traders and firms, farmers are ensured at these phases.

In Hau Giang, Mr. Bach Van Son, Director of the Sub-Department of Crop Production - Plant Protection said: "Currently, the durian area is in the high harvest season, the price is pretty excellent and brings proper economic value. The province contains 1,344 hectares of durian garden, of which approximately 50 percent of the tree area is being harvested, the production is projected at nearly 9,000 tons.

On average, 1 hectare of durian at home produces around 16 tons of fruit, the selling price is varying about VND 40,000 per kg, giving an economic value of over VND 600 million per hectare, "said Bach Van Son.

According to Mr. Bach Van Son, the whole Hau Giang province has an area of 43,810 hectares of fruit trees, of which the harvest area is 32,313 hectares, the yearly production is projected at 540,000 tons. The trees of great economic worth, which are concentrated by farmers and are being harvested lavishly, such as oranges, mangoes, lemons, grapefruits, durians, etc.

The secret: Adjusting crops, connecting production, and boosting quality

To adapt to the consumption situation of the market, farmers in Mekong Delta are conducting crop adjustment and relax so that the production of fruits are not piled in bulk like previous. For the hardest consumed fruits such as Thai jackfruit and dragon fruit, the costs are somehow better now.

Mr. Vo Van Tu Em - the owner of a firm buying dragon fruits in Cho Gao district, Tien Giang province, said: "For almost 20 days, the price of dragon fruit has steadied at over VND 10,000 per kg. The Chinese market was tough, so I shifted to the home market."

In Hau Giang, the fruit of this province is not only consumed domestically, but also has numerous planting areas that have gained international certifications, been awarded planting area codes and shipped to demanding markets.

OCOP Biological Fruits Cooperative (Chau Thanh District, Hau Giang Province) is a pioneer unit in partnership with cooperative members and farmers specializing in cultivating seedless lemons and Nam Roi pomelos for sale to the European market.

The 320-hectare unit specializes in the export production of seedless lemons and Nam Roi pomelos.

Mr. Tran Ba Son, director of the OCOP Biological Fruit Cooperative, stated that in the first few months of this year, the fruit production, preliminary processing, and export unit were quite successful, the output market was stable, and the output increased in comparison to the same time period in the previous year.

Over the course of four months, the unit shipped 2,500 tons of lemons and pomelos in accordance with the consumption centers in European nations. In addition to necessitating that fruit products are grown to the specified standards, the partners want a consistent supply throughout the year with no interruptions in orders. Solution To accommodate the demand, the Organic Fruit Cooperative (Cooperative) OCOP treats fruit for the season rather than focusing on the season.

Nevertheless, according to Mr. Son, the current difficulties in transporting fruit to Europe is due to the fact that sea freight prices are at an all-time high since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This increase has continued and there is no indication that it will return to pre-pandemic levels. Thus, fruit export revenues are lower than anticipated.

In addition, China strengthened its import and export regulations to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Therefore, exporting agricultural goods to your nation is fraught with several obstacles that increase both time and expense.

According to export enterprises, they face challenges such as extended wait times at the border gate for fruit that has been damaged; the impact of renting a tractor from China on the quality of commodities; and the substantial impact of moving to sea freight. Since then, the price of fruit has decreased, and producers face several challenges.

The province of Tien Giang has the greatest area of fruit trees in the Mekong Delta, with about 85 thousand hectares. Some regional staples include durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, and pineapple.

According to Vo Van Men, Director of the Province of Tien Giang's Sub-Department of Harvest Production and Plant Protection: "The only way to increase consumption is to fairly distribute the crop over more markets. The province's policy prohibits the area's development. Focus on enhancing the quality and encouraging the issuance of planting area codes to facilitate consumption "..

According to Mr. Men, since the beginning of the year, the province of Tien Giang has recognized three primary fruits: durian, dragon fruit, and jackfruit. The province established three important cooperatives in order to connect farmers with processed goods and increase the quality of their output.

Translated by Linh Linh