Tien Giang Spearheads Modern Fruit Production

Tien Giang leads the country with vast orchard areas of nearly 70,000ha against only 24,500ha in 1990. Currently, it produces around one million tonnes of fruit each year. The province is home to a diverse ecological system conducive for indigenous orchard development.

With their fertile alluvium and available fresh water all year round, the province’s western districts are ideal for growing tropical fruit trees, particularly citrus fruits such as juicy oranges and grapefruits in Cai Be district, durians in Cai Lay, and star fruits in Chau Thanh. Alum affected areas in Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) and Tan Phuoc district are suitable for growing pine-apple. Eastern districts with their salted and brackish lands are suitable for growing Acerola cherries, watermelons and Thanh Long (dragon) fruit.

The fruits are either sold fresh to customers or used as input materials for local processing plants.

The director of Southern Fruit Research Institute, Dr. Nguyen Minh Chau, said compared to other locations in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, Tien Giang has great potential for orchard development with a variety of indigenous fruits of high economic value. The province is supporting local farmers to establish quality specialized fruit areas as well as increase registration and brand promotion with a view to achieving sustainable orchard development.

Several research institutes and universities in the province have actively supported local farmers in applying science and technology to intensive farming. The province’s management has paid due heed to ensuring an output market for farmer products. Farmers have received significant support in expanding agricultural production, as well as seed and sapling management, and access to bank loans to invest in large-scale specialized fruit areas. The movement to grow indigenous fruit trees in deserted and mixed gardens and turn them into quality and extensive specialized fruit areas across the province has seen very positive returns. The garden economy has created a major boost to the province’s rural areas.

To increase the economic value of orchards and more deeply engage in both the domestic and foreign markets, Tien Giang is setting up a steering committee overseeing the establishment of industrial property rights to support business development, strengthen intellectual property management, increase surveys determining product origins, and registering indigenous fruits such as Hoa Loc mangos, Lo Ren star apples, Cho Gao Dragon fruits, Tan Lap pine-apples, Go Cong Acerola cherries and watermelons at the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property. The steering committee is also setting up a system for registering product origin use rights for cooperatives and associations capable of handling production, and using and promoting product origins of the aforementioned indigenous fruits.

Along with raising community awareness about intellectual property, and attracting visitors to specialized fruit areas through green tours, the province has engaged in a large number of seed propagation, preservation and processing projects. In the meantime, businesses have been encouraged to consume and process local farmers’ fruits. The province promises to help businesses find potential markets and customers to increase their exports. In addition, wholesale markets have been and are being built to boost sales and promote inter-provincial transactions.

Tien Giang is set to achieve a target of hosting around 90,000ha of orchard areas with a fruit production output ranging between 850,000-900,000 tonnes by 2010 that is expected to reach 100,000ha and more than one million tonnes by 2020. Development will be focused on seven indigenous fruits including Hoa Loc mangos, Lo Ren star apples, durians, pineapples, grapefruits, Acerola cherries and dragon-fruit./.

VEN

Tags: Tien Giang, Vietnam agriculture, Vietnam fruits

Posted by VBN on Apr 25 2010. Filed under Agriculture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry