Dong Nai seeks solutions to develop pomelo value chain

On August 6, the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DoAE) held a seminar themed “Solutions for Building and Developing Dong Nai's Pomelo Value Chain.”

Le Viet Binh, Deputy Chief of the Southern Office of the MoAE, speaks at the seminar. Photo: B. Nguyen

The seminar brought together Le Viet Binh, Deputy Chief of the Southern Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE); leaders of relevant departments and agencies; and numerous pomelo export enterprises, technology and agricultural input supply companies, cooperatives, and pomelo farmers in the city.

A Ho Chi Minh City-based pomelo exporter expresses interest in developing a linked production area for exporting pomelos in Dong Nai. Photo: B. Nguyen

With nearly 11,000 hectares, Dong Nai is among the localities with the largest pomelo-growing areas and production volumes in the country. Dong Nai has many pomelo-growing areas with potential for commodity-oriented production to meet increasing demand in both domestic and export markets, contributing to agricultural economic development and the building of new rural areas in the city.

However, amid the requirements of international economic integration and the trend toward modern agricultural development, the Dong Nai pomelo industry continues to face numerous challenges. The seminar, themed “Solutions for Building and Developing Dong Nai's Pomelo Value Chain,” brought together state management agencies, research institutes, experts, scientists, businesses, cooperatives, and farmers to discuss solutions for building and improving cultivation processes in accordance with standards and promoting the application of science, technology, and digital transformation. These efforts aim to increase data transparency and improve product quality while strengthening linkages between the State, scientists, businesses, and farmers toward forming a sustainable and effective Dong Nai pomelo value chain capable of conquering domestic and international markets.

A representative of a fresh fruit export enterprise from Dong Nai speaks at the seminar. Photo: B. Nguyen

Speaking at the seminar, Le Viet Binh, Deputy Chief of the Southern Office of the MoAE, noted that Dong Nai has a large pomelo-growing area and needs fundamental solutions to build a pomelo export industry chain. The seminar received many insightful contributions from farmers, cooperatives, and businesses, focusing on groups of issues and solutions for building a pomelo export supply chain.

A leader of the Southern Horticultural Research Institute speaks at the seminar. Photo: B. Nguyen

In particular, new approaches and a shift in mindset are needed, starting with farmers developing the habit of keeping cultivation logs and strictly complying with export-standard production processes. The seminar featured a cooperation program among relevant parties linked to the goal of building pilot supply chain models to serve as examples for further replication. In addition, Dong Nai needs to leverage the role of state management agencies, as well as commune- and city-level authorities, in creating an environment that supports businesses and farmers in building agricultural export chains in general and the pomelo industry chain in particular.

The DoAE, the Southern Horticultural Research Institute, the Vietnam Agribusiness Club, and agricultural input supply enterprises sign a cooperation agreement to build pomelo cultivation processes aimed at export markets. Photo: B. Nguyen

On this occasion, the DoAE, the Southern Horticultural Research Institute, the Vietnam Agribusiness Club, and agricultural input supply enterprises signed a cooperation agreement to establish an Expert Group on pomelo cultivation processes aimed at export markets.

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho