UPL brings biological solutions to export-grade durian

A new direction for Dong Thap's durian belt

As export markets tighten their standards on pesticide residues and heavy metals in agricultural produce, the challenge facing durian growers today extends well beyond yield. Producing clean, safe, and sustainable fruit has become an equally pressing priority.

Recent warnings related to cadmium residues on durian have further compelled growers, enterprises, and agricultural authorities to rethink their production approaches in favor of safer practices.

In Dong Thap province, a growing number of farmers are taking notice of a new direction - the gradual integration of biological solutions into durian cultivation. UPL Vietnam Co., Ltd., in coordination with the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, recently organized a field demonstration workshop showcasing the Pronutiva® model on durian at the orchard of Nguyen Van Vinh in My Trinh A hamlet, Hau My commune, Dong Thap province.

The program is a collaborative initiative aimed at developing the production and use of biological plant protection products under the Pronutiva® solution framework, with the goal of progressively reducing chemical inputs while increasing biological use - without compromising production efficiency or farmer profitability.

A defining feature of the model is its focus on root system restoration, soil improvement, and building the natural resilience of durian trees. UPL Vietnam is applying a two-product solution comprising Foltron® XL and Calibra®.

According to the company, Foltron® XL helps balance nutrition, stimulates strong root development, accelerates recovery from stress, and supports a healthy canopy. Calibra®, meanwhile, is applied during the flowering and fruit development stages to promote larger flower clusters, reduce premature fruit drop, and support rounder, more uniformly developed fruit with better skin texture.

The model is being implemented in a direct on-farm comparison format, evaluating the real-world performance difference between conventional cultivation and biological-oriented farming.

Growers place their hopes in sustainability

Nguyen Van Vinh, a participating farmer in Hau My commune, said his family currently cultivates more than 100 durian trees approximately seven years old, which have entered their commercial production phase. After joining the model with UPL Vietnam, the orchard was divided into two sections, 50 trees under the biological solution and 50 trees under conventional cultivation, for side-by-side performance comparison.

After more than three months of post-harvest recovery observation, Vinh said trees in the model plot have shown notably positive development. The root systems are stronger, new shoots are emerging uniformly, leaves are thicker and greener, and overall recovery is significantly better than the control section.

He added that after using Foltron® XL and Biobac® WP, trees recovered more rapidly from the harvest period, with visibly stronger root growth and a healthier canopy. In his practical assessment, the products support organic matter decomposition in the soil, helping the root system build greater resistance to common diseases such as root rot, gummosis, and soil-borne fungal infections.

Within five to seven days of application, leaves turned noticeably greener, new shoots emerged more vigorously, and growth was more uniform. Trees in the model plot were visibly healthier than those in the control section.

During the fruit development stage, Calibra® helped trees retain fruit more effectively, reduced premature drop, and resulted in more uniform fruit development. While biological approaches may progress somewhat more slowly than chemical methods, trees develop more stably and sustainably over the long term.

"If you overuse chemical fertilizers and pesticides, trees weaken easily, their lifespan shortens, and root systems deteriorate. The biological approach keeps trees healthy, reduces pest pressure, and sustains yields over the long haul," Vinh said.

He also noted that his family's first durian harvest yielded approximately 12 tonnes. Even though selling prices at the time were low, around 50,000 dong per kilogram, profits after costs remained reasonably satisfactory.

Beyond Vinh's orchard, other participating farmers have also recorded positive signals from applying biological solutions. Tran Van He, a durian grower in Hau My commune, reported that his family's orchard of more than five years old has shown encouraging early results after incorporating UPL Vietnam's biological products into tree care and flowering management.

After applying Calibra®, durian trees produced better flower clusters, achieved higher fruit set rates, and showed reduced premature fruit drop. Fruit development was noticeably more uniform, with better external appearance and lower incidence of post-harvest rot. Particularly striking was the fact that the proportion of Grade 1 fruit in the model orchard exceeded 90 percent, making procurement considerably more straightforward for buyers.

"What I see most clearly is that the fruit looks better, disease incidence is lower, and the Grade 1 rate is very high. The orchard under the model produced approximately 400 kilograms more than the control section," He said.

Walking alongside farmers to reduce residues

Le Thanh Dam, Vietnam Product Development Director at UPL Vietnam Co., Ltd., said the company's direction is to progressively integrate biological inputs across the entire durian production process, gradually reducing dependence on chemical inputs.

The first critical phase is soil improvement and root system restoration using Foltron® XL to build stronger, more disease-resistant trees. The company is continuing to develop additional solutions aimed at reducing the risk of heavy metal residues, particularly cadmium — on durian fruit, an issue drawing intense scrutiny from export markets.

Beyond soil improvement, UPL Vietnam is also concentrating on pest and disease management and fruit quality enhancement in the pre-harvest period through Vacciplant® 45SL, a biological fungicide designed to help trees retain fruit more effectively and reduce risks affecting fruit quality.

According to Dam, increasing the use of biological products in cultivation will help reduce the risk of pesticide residues on durian fruit. UPL's goal is to help farmers progressively reduce chemical inputs while maintaining yield and fruit quality, a long-term direction that aligns with the requirements of export markets.

Tanaya Ranjan Panda, General Director of UPL Vietnam Co., Ltd., said the company is focused on developing sustainable agricultural solutions in Vietnam and across multiple countries worldwide.

UPL Vietnam hopes to work alongside regulatory authorities and farmers to expand biological plant protection solutions, contributing to safer agricultural products for consumers and strengthening the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural produce in international markets.

"We hope to bring farmers more choices and different solutions to produce high-quality durian that meets the increasingly stringent demands of export markets," Panda said.

Hopes for broader replication

A representative of the Plant Production and Protection Department (PPPD) assessed that developing models applying biological plant protection products is a necessary trend toward a safe and sustainable agricultural sector.

Bui Thanh Huong, Head of the Plant Protection Product Management Division at the PPPD, said the key priority now is to simultaneously improve economic returns for farmers, ensure food safety, and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production.

Durian is currently one of Vietnam's highest-value export commodities, making the import markets' requirements on pesticide residues and heavy metals increasingly stringent.

"We hope that local authorities, technical agencies, and enterprises will continue to work alongside farmers to guide effective and safe use of plant protection products, and to prioritize biological solutions," Huong emphasized.

Agricultural sector representatives also expressed hope that the Pronutiva® model in Dong Thap will be further refined, with comprehensive real-world performance evaluation, so that it can be scaled out to other durian-growing zones across the Mekong Delta in the period ahead.