Giving Strength to VietGAP Dragon Fruit

Ms Dao Thi Kim Dung, Director of Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Development Research Centre, said: Defining that dragon fruit production is vital to farmers, since 2009, the centre has coordinated with localities to carry out dragon fruit production programme according to VietGAP standards; and persuaded, organised and instructed farmers to cultivate dragon fruits according to VietGAP standards. The programme aims to form safe dragon fruit production zones to meet domestic and export markets, to uphold the name and quality of Binh Thuan dragon fruits; and organise a VietGAP-standard export-oriented purchasing system.

 

After more than two years, the VietGAP dragon fruit area in the province rapidly enlarged to 4,169 ha (as of July 2011), accounting for 30.58 percent of the province’s total dragon fruit production area. Up to 202 production cooperatives and more than 5,212 households have been certified VietGAP certificates, thus giving more strength to the Binh Thuan dragon fruit to go further. VietGAP production groups and units have been guided to build regulations and operation principles. These well-organised groups, operated under the oversight of local authorities, have gradually given up the habit of using fertilisers and chemicals for dragon fruit plants. Plant protection agents and companies are committed not to breaking regulations on pesticide use. Besides, Binh Thuan province has issued several directives to prohibit the abuse of growth stimulants and other prohibited agents. Competent authorities have tightened supervision and examination on pesticide utilisation in production, guided clean dragon fruit production processes, and oriented the public to follow safe dragon production models.

 

Apart from farmers, the centre also advised dragon fruit companies to apply VietGAP standards to their processing, packaging and preserving stages. They associated with localities and production groups and units to keep an open eye on production stages and signed contracts with farmers in accordance to VietGAP standards. This helps inhibit individual merchants and businesses to purchase dragon fruits of unclear origins and brand them Binh Thuan dragon fruits.

 

Thus far, Binh Thuan dragon fruits have been present in 14 countries and territories in the world and become a major forex earner for the province. Importantly, the broader application of VietGAP standards is changing traditional farming practices towards highly commercialised production which is based on market demand and tastes.

 

Although VietGAP is a successful model in Binh Thuan province, the application has met certain difficulties and challenges. According to statistics, 4,169 ha of VietGAP dragon fruit area are small in relation to a total of 13,404 ha of dragon fruit areas in the province. Besides, there are a few number of farming households, businesses and purchases following VietGAP standards. Importers like China do not require product safety; thus local companies disregard standardisation in their operations. As a result, many do not care about VietGAP. Worse, uneven and limited awareness of farmers and volatile markets are major challenges to VietGAP dragon fruit growers and traders.

 

Mr Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: VietGAP-standard dragon fruit production is vital not only to growers but also to the “Binh Thuan dragon fruit” brand - the pride of Binh Thuan province. Therefore, Binh Thuan targets to widen the VietGAP dragon fruit area to 7,000 ha at the end of 2011. The province will focus on applying VietGAP standards to dragon fruit production to boost up the export value and safety. To do so, the process of VietGAP dragon fruit production must muster the involvement of four major stakeholders: farmers, enterprises, scientists and State organs.

Besides, Binh Thuan is considering establishing a network to collect VietGAP dragon fruits, selling VietGAP certified dragon fruits, and facilitating growers and enterprises to cooperate in producing best fruits for the market.