Output decreases but quality is still guaranteed
With only a short time left, key longan growing areas of Hung Yen province will enter the main harvest season. On many longan gardens in Tan Hung commune, clusters of fruits are already full and fragrant, signaling that a harvest season is approaching.
The atmosphere of care and preparation for the harvest is urgent as households and cooperatives focus on reviewing the quality of gardens, pruning branches, cleaning gardens, monitoring pests and diseases and implementing technical procedures to ensure fruit quality before being put on the market.
This year, the weather is assessed as one of the most disadvantageous factors for longan growers. The flowering and fruit setting stage is affected by prolonged hot sun interspersed with unusual weather spells, causing low fruit setting rates, and many areas have reduced yields.
According to Mr. Tran Van My - Director of Quyet Thang Cooperative (Tran Phu village, Tan Hung commune), longan production this year decreased by over 60% compared to last year. However, the sunny conditions during the fruit development phase help improve longan quality significantly.
Although the output has decreased, thanks to strict compliance with the VietGAP production process, longan fruit is still developing evenly, beautifully shaped, thick flesh, strong sweet taste and meets the requirements of purchasing units. Currently, traders have started surveying and raising the issue of purchasing at the garden" - Mr. My said.
According to Mr. My, the price of super sweet longan this year is expected to fluctuate from 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg, while Huong Chi variety is about 35,000 VND/kg. With this price, along with the high quality of the fruit, many gardeners expect to partially compensate for the damage caused by the decrease in output.
Promoting VietGAP production, expanding consumption markets
Hung Yen province currently has about 5,800ha of longan, of which nearly 2,000ha are produced according to VietGAP procedures. The concentrated growing areas are mainly in Tan Hung, Khoai Chau, Trieu Viet Vuong, Hoang Hoa Tham, Quang Hung, Nghia Dan, Hiep Cuong, Hong Quang communes... These are all localities with long-standing longan growing traditions and are gradually building concentrated raw material areas to serve the domestic market as well as export.
Tan Hung commune alone currently has more than 500ha of agricultural land, of which 330ha are for longan cultivation. Most of the area has been certified VietGAP, is located in the Hung Yen longan geographical indication area and is granted a growing area code for export. This is an important advantage to help products meet the increasingly strict requirements of the market.
According to Mr. Truong Quoc Tran - Chairman of Tan Hung Commune People's Committee, in recent years, people and cooperatives in the area have proactively sought markets, expanded production according to VietGAP standards, built OCOP products and strengthened links with purchasing and processing enterprises.
According to Mr. Tran, the link between longan growers and businesses has brought many positive changes. Farmers produce according to plan, comply with technical process requirements, ensure traceability, and quality is monitored right from the beginning of the crop.
Thanks to that, consumption is more favorable, people are no longer passive but can be more proactive in both production, signing contracts and negotiating selling prices.
Expanding production areas according to VietGAP standards, building planting area codes and strengthening consumption links are becoming a sustainable direction for Hung Yen longan specialties.
Although this year's longan crop is significantly affected by weather causing reduced output, fruit quality is maintained at a high level and expectations of positive selling prices still bring confidence to longan growers before the upcoming harvest season.
