Need an impetus to boost product quality and deep process

Regarding the future development of dragon fruit trees, Deputy Director of Crops Production Department Le Thanh Tung stated two suggestions from firms and administrators. While the former advocated for increasing the dragon fruit area to 100,000 hectares, the latter argued for reducing the area.

Mr. Tung stated, however, that the path of dragon fruit plants must be determined by the market and consumption. Consolidating production connections is critical since regardless of whether the region is expanded or contracted, consumption linkage will assist in stabilizing production.

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"We must evaluate the stable consumption and export markets to determine whether to enhance or reduce the factors of the area, quality, and variety... for the growth of dragon fruits and markets in the provinces of Binh Thuan, Tien Giang, and Long An in the coming time." Mr. Tung voiced his thought, "The dragon fruit trees should be grown only for the benefit of farmers, not for creating an unstable domestic market and increasing consumer pressure."

Many units have conducted studies on the transformation of dragon fruit gardens, and while planting trees on espalier has been adopted in Binh Thuan, Long An, and Kien Giang, people more prefer to use pillars. When compared to pillar planting, espalier planting increases productivity and quality while improving pest management, original traceability, and food safety for exports. As a result, Mr. Tung stated that a longer-term strategy should be developed to modify the pillar garden and incorporate mechanisms into production to increase output, quality, and lower production costs.

Dragon fruit growers should place a higher focus on food safety to meet the requirements of export markets.

When it comes to processing, we have increased product diversification but the proportion of processed goods remains low, at less than 5% of total output. As a result of growing the area and raising the product's value, the processing stage must be raised to 20-30% of the total output.

Sharing the same view with Mr. Tung, localities with large dragon fruit areas believed that the primary approach to developing the fruit sustainably is to improve the product's quality.

Mr. Nguyen Van Man, Director of the Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that the province is implementing solutions to improve product quality, establish planting areas, and invite businesses to deep-process and invest in cold storage, among other things, to reduce fresh fruit exports to China and diversify consumption markets.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Thien, Deputy Director of the Long An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that the three main dragon fruit growing provinces must connect and count the appropriate crops to assure the area's sustainability and tree development effectiveness. Mr. Thien, however, suggested that the Ministry and departments promote production and product quality improvement according to a chain for farmers and cooperatives in order to achieve the target.

Additionally, regional-based firms should be linked to buffer one another and to assure compliance with regulations controlling planting area codes and contribution bases; at the same time, research on the rigorous control of pests and diseases on dragon fruit trees should continue.

Consolidating the production link

Mr. Tran Minh Hai, Director of the Center for Cooperative Economics Training and Consulting (School of Agriculture and Rural Development II), states that dragon fruit cultivating areas have not yet formed a collective economy. Cooperatives are more difficult to establish in dragon fruit farming areas than in other types. However, cooperative development is critical to establishing a large material region capable of meeting local and export demands.

Additionally, provinces should promote the role of dragon fruit associations, invest resources to develop pre-and post-processing technologies, particularly freeze-drying, and encourage the use of information technology to manage and add value to dragon fruit growing regions via tourism...

According to MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan, we previously approached the issue through a conventional perspective, focused on output and ignorant of the fact that the market determines production. Thus, it is vital to shift the focus from "one tip to two ends" (production and market), as we are still quite confused about the dragon fruit business.

He directed the Crops Production Department to do market research and analysis. Local governments must be accountable for regulating and recognizing the precise number of farmers engaged in dragon fruit cultivation... From there, there is a direction toward integrating farmers into the right form of production organization. 

Agriculture's chief stated that local governments should launch a revolution to reorganize production beginning at the commune level to avoid spontaneous production.

Competent entities must research to decrease input costs and risks when product prices fall and to convert unofficial dragon fruit export to an official channel. This is also the trend to manage epidemics and taxation.

Minister Le Minh Hoan stated that local governments must develop an ecosystem that includes all participants who accept responsibility. As part of MARD, the unit is accountable for providing information to local governments about mechanisms, policies, and markets.

"Desperate" for market information

Mr. Le Tuan Phong, the provincial governor of Binh Thuan, tasked MARD with developing a research plan and assessing the dragon's potential, demand, tastes, and consumption market. From there, provide suggestions to dragon fruit-growing provinces, particularly Binh Thuan, about production planning in order to assure supply and demand. Additionally, they require ongoing assistance for education, promotion, and communication regarding dragon fruit trees and the quality of dragon fruit products, as well as inclusion in important conferences.

He also suggested that the ministry direct competent parties collaborate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to update export market regulations and policies, particularly Chinese.

Additionally, improving processing aids in the resolution of stagnation issues. Binh Thuan province anticipated MARD and other units to support and seek investment in processing in order to improve product quality and competitiveness.

The chairman requested that MARD include dragon fruit trees in the national main force products list. As a result, there would be a policy in place to encourage the sustainable development of dragon fruit.

Authors: Kim So - Le Khanh

Translated by Linh Linh