SOFRI, Green Stars develop sweet yellow passion fruit material zone

On August 19 in Dong Thap Province, the Southern Horticultural Research Institute (SOFRI) and Green Stars Investment Joint Stock Company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in developing sweet yellow passion fruit varieties across the Mekong Delta and the Southeast region.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) facilitated and supported the activity, aiming to strengthen linkages between scientific research and enterprises and contribute to the development of the passion fruit value chain in the Southern region.

According to the Southern Horticultural Research Institute, the Kham Qua No. 9 passion fruit variety, formerly named "Kham Mat No. 9", is a sweet yellow passion fruit variety created through sexual hybridization between a guava-flavored yellow passion fruit female parent and a honey-flavored yellow passion fruit male parent.

The Key Laboratory of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Academy of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with Guangxi Qinsi Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd., China, researched and bred the variety.

Kham Qua No. 9 submitted its protection application in China on August 10, 2021, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China granted it a plant variety protection certificate on April 12, 2024, with a protection term of 20 years from the date of grant.

The co-owners of the variety are the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Guangxi Qinsi Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; Qinsi Company is tasked with managing and commercializing the variety.

With authorization from the co-owners, SOFRI and Green Stars will jointly research, evaluate, and refine the Kham Qua No. 9 variety in Viet Nam to develop technical solutions suited to production conditions in the Mekong Delta and Southeast region.

A central component of the cooperation program is building seedling sources to support the development of raw material zones. Both sides will select elite mother trees and establish sweet yellow passion fruit elite budwood orchards in net houses to create disease-free, uniform, and stable propagation material sources, serving large-scale seedling production.

SOFRI and Green Stars will also coordinate to evaluate and select rootstocks suitable for Southern conditions; research nutritional requirements, pruning and canopy training techniques, and pest and disease control measures.

Dr. Vo Huu Thoai, Director of the Southern Horticultural Research Institute, said that based on research and trial results, both sides will finalize seedling production protocols and cultivation technical procedures for sweet yellow passion fruit suited to conditions in the Mekong Delta and Southeast region.

Once finalized, the protocols will serve as guidance and training materials for relevant stakeholders to support the development of raw material zones.

According to Dr. Vo Huu Thoai, cooperation between a research institute and an enterprise is expected to bridge scientific research and technology transfer with producers and the market, step by step forming a linked and sustainable passion fruit value chain.

With SOFRI's research capabilities, enterprise resources, and the participation of localities, cooperatives, and growers, the program is expected to yield practical outcomes in variety research, technical protocol refinement, raw material zone development, and product quality enhancement.

According to the orientation, Green Stars plans to develop a sweet yellow passion fruit raw material zone of approximately 300-500 hectares, linked to technical protocols researched, refined, and transferred from SOFRI.

The raw material zone will be developed alongside technical consultancy, training, establishment of growing area codes, and application of standards compliant with export market requirements; while prioritizing quality control, product safety, and traceability.

Mr. Ha Trong Tien, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Green Stars Company, stated that the enterprise expects cooperation with SOFRI will help evaluate the adaptability of the new passion fruit variety to climate and soil conditions in the Mekong Delta, thereby step-by-step perfecting cultivation techniques and elevating product yield and quality.

According to Mr. Tien, the enterprise's responsibility is to build outlets, organize stable purchasing, and expand markets, while producers must adhere to technical protocols to maintain product quality. Companionship and strict compliance with commitments across the linkage chain are considered essential conditions to elevate product value and market access capability.

Alongside developing the raw material zone, Green Stars is deploying a passion fruit preliminary processing and packaging facility in Dong Thap Province. According to Mr. Ha Trong Tien, in the initial phase, the facility is projected to have a processing capacity of around 5 tons of fruit/hour, serving raw material intake from production zones.

The enterprise is also rolling out several growing areas under GlobalGAP, establishing growing area codes, and preparing to access the US market once it meets all import requirements.

According to Mr. Tien, the company will expand raw material zones step by step, based on the performance of initial growing zones, production linkage organization capacity, and market demand.

In addition to fresh products, SOFRI and Green Stars aim to research and develop value-added products from passion fruit, while utilizing by-products to develop suitable processed goods, enhancing raw material value, and moving toward a circular economy in agriculture.

Both sides also plan to coordinate the formulation and proposal of science and technology topics and projects for the entire passion fruit chain, from variety selection, seedling production, planting, and caretaking to preliminary processing, deep processing, packaging, and export.

According to Dr. Vo Huu Thoai, the objective of the cooperation program is to bring research results and technical advancements into production, raising the productivity, quality, and economic efficiency of passion fruit; while contributing to improving the income and livelihoods of local farmers participating in the raw material zone.