Busy with the exports of the passion fruit to China

Wide-open opportunities

Dak Lak is known as one of the country's passion fruit centers. According to statistics provided by the Subdepartment of Crop Production under the Dak Lak Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the locality devotes around 1,000 hectares to passion fruit farming and the households that intercrop the fruiter with other crops.

Le Van Trong Duc, a resident of Ea Hu in the Cu Kuin, disclosed that he cultivated 1 hectare of passion fruit after failing to plant herbal trees due to improper soil conditions.

Initially, he struggled to generate output, but after a long time, he was successful. However, when the quantity of passion fruit is substantial, collectors come to the field to buy fruits. Duc can harvest around 50 tons of the fruit, which are sold for between VND 15,000- 20,000 per kilogram.

Duc emphasized that passion fruit growing might be complicated by the requirements of pesticides and fertilizers. To satisfy export standards, farmers must adhere to customers' demands. Producers will earn more money when passion fruit exports are more optimized.

Nguyen Duc Tien, head of the Control Board of Van Xuan Agricultural Production, Trade, and Service Cooperative, said that after two years of establishment, the cooperative had 250 members and a cultivated area of over 50 hectares. The cooperative is founded to facilitate the organization of agricultural production, particularly the passion fruit tree.

Tien disclosed that the unit's absence of output had caused difficulties. However, as it links to Phuoc An Import-Export Company, passion fruit prices are guaranteed. 

"The unit is also connecting with businesses to issue planting area codes and barcodes, and manage farming on e-logs. The cooperative continues to extend its area while maintaining the quantity and quality needed to fulfill China's export standards for the fruit "said Mr. Tien.

Immense potential

When passion fruit is eligible for official export to China, Phuoc An Import-Export Company collaborated with 16 cooperatives in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Gia Lai to cultivate around 1,000 hectares of passion fruit.

The Deputy Director of Phuoc An Import-Export Company, Nguyen Thanh Tung, said that the unit had been assessed and evaluated by the General Administration of China Customs for exports of fresh passion fruit to China.

It is creating a quality management system, planting area codes, and adopting digital recording for linking cooperatives.

"This is intended to support farmers in adhering to the procedure established by the importing country. The firm is projected to form partnerships with cooperatives to apply for planting area codes and guide farmers on the usage of fertilizers and pesticides.

Previously, passion fruit was not exported officially to the Chinese market, and its cultivation is scattered. Currently, China enables official export, which creates several chances for the sustainable development of passion fruit and boosts economic efficiency. In the future, the firm will continue to link cooperatives to extend the area to 1,500 hectares by China's export standards "highlighted Mr. Tung. 

Nguyen Van Minh, the head of the Agricultural Extension Station in the district of Cu Kuin, said that once the pepper plants fail to produce in 2020, farmers want to switch to other crops.

The station evaluated passion fruit plants as a fresh candidate to replace the pepper area and opted to conduct trial cultivation on 2.5ha.

District Cu Kuin's People's Committee has established a plan to coordinate the production and consumption of agriculture products, such as passion fruit. Currently, the agricultural sector in Cu Kuin district must plan and develop the area to establish farmer associations.

"Since the export of passion fruit is now official, our mission is to seek businesses capable of partnering with farmers to underwrite the production. Shortly, the region will plan to cultivate 200 ha of passion fruit. Therefore, we call on businesses with sufficient capacity to establish ties to the region to promote the export of passion fruit." added the station's leader. 

Minh said that to be eligible for export, the authorities have established training courses to educate farmers on the agricultural procedures necessary by the standards of the importing countries.

The province of Dak Lak's Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vu Duc Con, said that one of the requirements for exporting to China is to establish codes for the growing area and the packaging facility.

According to Con, since the introduction of the Law on Cultivation, the agriculture sector in Dak Lak has emphasized education and training to make farmers aware of the significance of constructing planting area codes and original traceability.

According to the Deputy Director, the new protocol for official export is an essential requirement for quality manufacturing, while the other conditions are adequate. This must be accomplished simultaneously via manufacturing, procurement, and processing.

"Two crucial requirements for passion fruit are pesticide residues and pests. Even after the passion fruit has reached China, China closely inspects these two characteristics. Therefore, in order for fresh passion fruit to be exported in a sustainable manner, farmers and enterprises must adhere to China's criteria," Mr. Vu Duc Con, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the province of Dak Lak stressed.