Building an export-oriented pomelo value chain

Dong Nai City has a large pomelo-growing area, with high-quality produce and strong export potential. To help Dong Nai pomelos reach international markets, farmers need to shift their production mindset and meet the standards required by export markets.

Farmers grow green-skin pomelos in Phu Vinh Commune.

The city’s agriculture sector is focusing on building and expanding export-oriented pomelo production linkages while creating a favorable environment to attract businesses to invest and expand consumer markets.

Farmers need to change

Dong Nai currently has nearly 11,000 hectares of pomelo orchards, with total output reaching 163,000 tons. By 2030, the city aims to expand the area to nearly 12,700 hectares, with only a modest increase in acreage but a significant rise in output to 223,000 tons. Eleven communes and wards have been identified as key pomelo-growing areas, including Hung Thinh, Thanh Son, Binh Loc, Phu Vinh, Tri An, Bao Vinh, Tan Trieu, Tan Phu, Dau Giay, Loc Ninh and Phu Rieng.

Currently, only about 12% of the pomelo-growing area is involved in production linkages. Most partnerships are established only at individual stages rather than forming integrated chains connecting growing areas with consumer markets. Most farmers still produce and sell their products independently, with no sustainable value chain in place. This results in high input costs and inconsistent productivity and quality, reducing the competitiveness of Dong Nai pomelos in the market.

Le Cong Su, a pomelo farmer in Dau Giay Ward, said producing pomelos for export is a long-term undertaking that requires farmers to change their mindset and proactively address existing shortcomings to meet market requirements. "Farmers have to change or they will miss opportunities. We have already adopted fruit-bagging techniques, but the appearance of our pomelos still does not meet export requirements. We need technical and scientific support to produce export-standard pomelos. During the initial stage of joining an export chain, farmers lack experience, so we hope businesses will accompany us, organize purchasing directly at orchards and provide clear guidance on standards so that farmers can gradually become familiar with and follow the required procedures," Su said.

Nguyen Van Thanh, a pomelo farmer in Tri An Ward, said pomelo production needs to be standardized from inputs to outputs. "Farmers want to be connected with suppliers of certified agricultural inputs because the use of substandard fertilizers and pesticides could affect export standards. Regular training courses are also needed to help farmers gradually become familiar with and comply with export-oriented production processes," Thanh said.

An effective bridge is needed

Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment held a workshop on solutions for building and developing the Dong Nai pomelo value chain, with the aim of developing an export brand for the city's pomelos.

Vina T&T Export-Import Service Trading Co., Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City is seeking export-standard pomelo supplies in Dong Nai. Nguyen Dinh Muoi, the company's deputy general director, said the business had surveyed pomelo-growing areas and developed plans to cooperate with farmers. If a stable raw-material area can be established, the company plans to invest in an on-site packing facility and work with cooperatives as focal points to develop a sustainable production and distribution chain.

Le Thi Anh Tuyet, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai City Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the agriculture sector is shifting from a production-oriented mindset to an agricultural-economy approach. The sector is focusing on developing standardized pomelo-growing areas, improving the performance of cooperatives, managing growing-area codes and packing-facility codes, and strengthening linkages with businesses. It is also prioritizing attracting investment in preservation and processing facilities and promoting official exports.

According to Tuyet, farmers seeking to join export chains must proactively change their practices, keep cultivation records and strictly comply with standardized production procedures.

Dong Nai has a large pomelo-growing area and needs fundamental solutions to develop an export-oriented pomelo industry chain. It is important that farmers must renew their mindset, starting with changing the habit of keeping cultivation records and strictly following production procedures that meet export standards. State management agencies and local authorities must play a greater role in creating a favorable environment and supporting businesses and farmers in building sustainable production linkages.

By Binh Nguyen - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha