When the fruit ripens is no longer a worry
Sitting in the middle of a milk star apple garden that is in season, Mr. Phan Mien Len, a member of Loc Mai Agricultural Cooperative (An Lac Thon commune, Can Tho city) recounted: Previously, milk star apples were mainly consumed domestically, dependent on traders. At one point, the price of ripe milk star apples was only 3,000 - 5,000 VND/kg. About 5 years ago, when participating in the Cooperative and making milk star apples according to export standards, the situation gradually changed. Milk star apples are consumed by businesses at stable prices, 20 - 30% higher than the domestic market. On average, each hectare yields an income of 400 - 600 million VND/year (if the tree bears fruit in season).
Not getting rich quickly but being able to live with the garden, no longer waiting for traders," Mr. Len said.
Mr. Len's story is also the common story of many milk star apple growers in Ke Sach district (old Soc Trang province), now Thoi An Hoi and An Lac Thon communes (Can Tho City), where this fruit used to only revolve around the rural market, now it has been carried by container to the US and Australia through official channels.
Mr. Su Quoc Loc - Director of Loc Mai Agricultural Cooperative - said that since 2018, the cooperative's star apple has had a "passport" for export to the US. Since then, every year right from the beginning of the crop, businesses have proactively come to the cooperative to sign consumption contracts. The purchase price is 45,000 VND/kg at the beginning of the crop and 30,000 - 32,000 VND/kg from mid-to-late crop.
Harder but worthwhile
According to Mr. Su Quoc Loc, for star apples to meet export conditions, 33 members of the Cooperative apply synchronous techniques from germination, flowering, fruit wrapping to harvesting and packaging. Chemical fertilizers are gradually replaced by organic fertilizers and biological preparations. Currently, the Cooperative has 33ha certified VietGAP. This year, thanks to good technology, output reached 25 - 30 tons/ha, an increase of about 5 tons compared to previous years.
Initially, farmers felt it was hard and laborious. But they got used to it, and in return, they could sell at a high and stable price," Mr. Loc shared.
Mr. Loc said that to be proactive in supplying goods, the cooperative handles off-season fruit. Previously, star apples were only harvested from the end of November to the beginning of April, now it lasts until June - July, when the market almost no longer has star apples.
Similarly, at Xom Dong 2 Agricultural Cooperative (Thoi An Hoi commune, Can Tho city), the linked model of growing star apples for export continues to be effective.
Mr. Tran Van Phuong - Director of the Cooperative - informed that at the beginning of this year's season, purple star apples are consumed at 40,000 - 45,000 VND/kg, pink butter star apples 50,000 - 55,000 VND/kg; in the main season, the price is still 35,000 and 40,000 VND/kg respectively. The Cooperative plans to supply about 300 tons of star apples. The Cooperative has invested in pre-processing and packaging warehouses separately for export goods.
Mr. Phuong said that farmers have switched from traditional farming to environmentally friendly farming, using organic fertilizers, pesticides and fruit bags to improve quality, design, and increase domestic and foreign competitiveness. Thereby, forming a linkage chain with export businesses, limiting the risk of supply exceeding demand, "bumper crops and price drops".
Farmers working individually are very difficult to meet standards. Entering the cooperative, people agree on the process, businesses worry about output, and risks are reduced a lot," Mr. Phuong said.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, the whole city currently has more than 3,100ha of star apples, with a production of about 40,000 tons/year. To date, there are 37 growing area codes with a total area of more than 329ha serving exports.
