Let Vietnamese durian go further and further

Vietnam’s durian is an industry that is expected to bring great value to fruit and vegetable export turnover, possibly exceeding the billion-dollar mark in 2023.

However, rapid growth also entails many difficult problems that require solutions to bring the durian industry to sustainable development.

There are still many “knots” that need to be resolved

As for the durian industry, up to now, the whole country has more than 112,000 hectares. The area has had a rapid growth rate with an average annual increase of nearly 25% in the last 5 years. In particular, durian is concentrated in some main regions such as: Central Highlands with more than 52,000 hectares (about 47%), Mekong Delta region with 33,000 hectares (about 30%), Southeast region with 21,000 hectares (about 19%). ) and some other localities. Current durian output is about 900,000 tons.

In the past two years, durian prices have increased significantly when the Protocol on plant quarantine requirements for durian exported from Vietnam to China was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Department of Customs of China.

Vietnam’s durian export value continuously increases from 29.2 million USD in 2016 to 420 million USD in 2022 and by 8 months of 2023 reaches nearly 1.2 billion USD (an increase of nearly 3 times compared to the whole year of 2022). It is expected that durian exports this year will reach 1.5 billion USD, 3.5 times more than in 2022. The main export markets of our country’s durian include: China, Japan, Australia,… mainly the fruit. fresh and frozen.

The above reality shows that durian has had a very strong increase in both area and export value in recent years, especially in 2023.

However, hot growth also leads to many “outstanding” problems that need to be identified and resolved.

First, there is the issue of granting and managing planting area codes. According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Chien – Director of Tan Lap Dong Agricultural Service Cooperative, Krong Buk district, Dak Lak province, some units own the growing area code but have not been able to buy products from the code. However, from these growing area codes, some units still carry out normal export procedures. This is an inadequacy problem.

Second, the growing area codes are standardized from stages such as: recording logs, tracking, monitoring harmful organisms… so the selling price is equal to, or even lower than, other units.

Feedback from some localities shows that, regarding the issue of growing areas and export packaging facilities, there are currently no documents regulating administrative sanctions for growing areas and packaging facilities that do not comply with regulations. about export. Notably, currently some cooperatives, people, and production areas are not fully aware of the meaning of the growing area code, forcing them to promote propaganda…

Second, the “competition to buy and sell” takes place regularly. This causes many disadvantages for both farmers and purchasing businesses.

Recognizing the “bottlenecks” of the current durian industry, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Toan – Director of the Center for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics said that currently, the industry still has many “bottlenecks”. That’s hot growth; competition in purchasing, goods consolidation, business ethics; processing infrastructure; Quality Management; Links between gardeners, traders, export businesses and human resources, standard procedures.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thai Thanh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Ban Me Green Farm Joint Stock Company, currently, the durian industry is still facing a number of difficulties such as: Unfavorable transportation, high logistics costs, 30% of the cost constitutes the price, there is no quarantine facility in the raw material area, the farming area is still fragmented, the techniques are not uniform, there is no standard process from seedlings, so the quality of production is not good. really stable. The links between businesses and farmers are ready to be “broken” when prices rise.

Let the durian go further

In order for Vietnam’s durian fruit to go further and further, many enthusiastic opinions have been given. According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Duong – Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dak Lak province, if durian fruit wants to go far and create a sustainable market, all entities in the value chain need to join hands and cooperate closely to go forward together. Farmers, businesses, localities with growing areas, state management agencies, and scientists need to “go together” in the overall space of connecting and developing the industry.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thai Thanh – Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Ban Me Green Farm Joint Stock Company said that in terms of logistics, there needs to be policy mechanisms to invest in a convenient transportation system and encourage the development of logistics services in the region. raw materials, establishing quarantine facilities in raw material areas. In addition, it is necessary to soon establish examples of advanced links between businesses – farmers – cooperatives in all aspects.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Toan – Director of the Center for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics, it is necessary to build a policy framework and appropriate standards in the current context. In addition to fresh products, the durian industry also needs to develop more processed products, and at the same time strictly plan the development of durian growing areas across the country. To restructure the durian industry sustainably, Mr. Toan emphasized the role of grassroots authorities. Because this is a place close to the actual operations of the industry, there are operating policies and timely responses.

Mr. Toan also emphasized the role of the media. This will be a solution to help farmers have more autonomy in the farming process, purchasing and selling decisions, and at the same time let suppliers, pre-processors, and processors have a closer look at market requirements.

Discussing solutions to develop the durian industry, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that it is time for us to combine tightening state management with specialized local state management. In addition, businesses need to be imbued with the business ideology, trading durian not only for profit but also as a responsibility to the national agriculture. From there, it changed from a buying and selling relationship to a cooperative relationship.

“Our agriculture is fragmented, small, and spontaneous. Therefore, local governments, businesses, and associations must participate from the beginning with farmers so that people have full information to adjust production” – Minister Le Minh Hoan suggested.

The Minister also said that the new growing area code is only encouragement but not mandatory, so in the future it will be a mandatory requirement. Everything must comply with standards and regulations, and there will be no more spontaneity. To do this, local authorities must first change their thinking. Because the local state management agency is the closest person to businesses, cooperatives, and production households; Bringing farmers into a common space and common organization to communicate, inform, and unify production in accordance with market requirements.

Currently, our country’s durian industry has many opportunities to develop. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong – Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department said that in the near future, the Plant Protection Department is continuing to open the market for durian fruit to the Indian market – a very potential market of billions of people. . Thus, durian still has a lot of market space to develop as long as we ensure production organization and market quality.

In fact, Vietnamese durian currently has great potential, requiring us to take advantage of this opportunity to promote the strengths of the industry, bringing great value to fruit and vegetable export turnover in particular. exporting agricultural, forestry and fishery products in general, while bringing income value to farmers. This requires the authorities along with localities, cooperatives, businesses, farmers, etc. to join hands and work together to overcome difficulties. Especially, solving inadequacies related to growing area codes, packaging facilities, logistics infrastructure, having strong enough sanctions related to unfair competition,… Especially , interested in planning and building durian growing areas that ensure quality, design, and carry Vietnam’s own brand. From there, building a sustainable durian industry, contributing to bringing Vietnam’s durian fruit further and further in the world market.

>> Behind the Vietnamese durian fever in China