Lesson 2: Maximizing the advantages

Along with the general conversion trend of provinces and cities in the region, Tien Giang has now formed specialized areas for growing key fruit trees and specialties.

Faced with the strong trend of switching to fruit tree cultivation, Tien Giang has reviewed, adjusted, and developed investment projects to develop concentrated fruit tree growing areas, aiming at sustainable consumption.

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Cai Be District is a locality with a large fruit growing area in the province with many types of specialty fruits. Of which, durian trees occupy a large area and have increased rapidly in recent years. According to Cai Be District People's Committee, up to now, the durian area of ​​the district is about 10,000 hectares; of which, the fruiting area accounts for about 2/3.

Tien Giang has been focusing on supporting the production of the "billion dollar" industry.

To develop durian trees, Cai Be district has recently implemented many solutions, including focusing on completing a synchronous irrigation infrastructure system. At the same time, the locality has also focused on guiding farmers to apply science and technology in production. The district has also focused on promoting and guiding farmers to produce according to VietGAP standards to increase product value.

Every year, the Department of Agriculture develops a plan for training, seminars and technology transfer on fruit trees, mainly on durian trees. In addition, the locality also focuses on guiding businesses and cooperatives in the area to build growing area codes (MSVT) and packing facility codes (CSĐG) to serve official durian exports.

By the end of 2024, the entire district will have 60 durian MSVTs granted with an area of ​​over 1,500 hectares. 6 years ago, Mr. Nguyen Van Dong (Hau Thanh commune, Cai Be district) decided to convert 1 hectare of rice to grow durian.

Mr. Dong shared: “The rice fields in my area are located within the dike, so they are suitable for growing durian. The durian trees grow very well, not inferior to those in the area south of National Highway 1. The first crop of fruit was harvested during the time when durian prices were high, so I made a lot of profit.”

To help sustainably consume fruit products, recently, the Department of Agriculture has coordinated with localities to promote the issuance of export MSVT.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, up to now, the whole province has 464 fruit plantations for export with an area of ​​over 28,380 hectares, including: 68 jackfruit plantations, an area of ​​over 8,500 hectares; 97 dragon fruit plantations, an area of ​​over 6,250 hectares; 57 mango plantations, an area of ​​over 1,800 hectares; 15 star apple plantations, an area of ​​nearly 90 hectares; 5 watermelon plantations, an area of ​​819 hectares; 3 rambutan plantations, an area of ​​over 388 hectares; 7 longan plantations, an area of ​​over 220 hectares; 155 durian plantations, an area of ​​over 6,927 hectares; 13 grapefruit plantations, an area of ​​over 178 hectares; 40 coconut plantations, an area of ​​nearly 3,120 hectares; 4 lemon plantations, an area of ​​over 80 hectares.

The whole province also has 323 CSĐG codes, of which 316 are exported to the Chinese market, including: 60 CSĐG codes for durian, 251 CSĐG codes for fruits such as jackfruit, mango, dragon fruit...; there are 7 CSĐG codes for export to the US, Australia, New Zealand markets... on fruits such as dragon fruit, mango, rambutan, star apple, grapefruit.

Agricultural production is one of the strengths of Cai Lay Town, especially the development of fruit tree production. According to the Department of Economics - Infrastructure and Urban Areas of Cai Lay Town, in recent times, the unit has coordinated with related units to propagate and mobilize people to change the crop structure, especially to specialize in growing crops with high economic value.

The town has converted the crop structure on rice land according to the Project on converting the crop structure in the North of National Highway 1 of the province in conjunction with training on transferring production techniques, building and replicating effective agricultural extension models, and good agricultural production. Thereby, the locality has formed concentrated fruit tree production areas with large areas such as durian 3,420 hectares, an increase of 1,212 hectares compared to 2020; jackfruit 1,700 hectares.

Cho Gao District is the largest dragon fruit growing area in the province with an area of ​​about 6,600 hectares. The fruiting area is 5,545 hectares, with a harvest output of 180,000 tons/year. Of which, the production area according to VietGAP standards is about 2,200 hectares, according to GlobalGAP standards is over 300 hectares.

Currently, the district has 101 export MSVTs with an area of ​​5,923 hectares in the markets: Korea, China, USA, Australia, New Zealand and 5 dragon fruit CSDG codes. According to Vice Chairman of Cho Gao District People's Committee Cao Tan Huong, to sustainably develop dragon fruit, the district has issued a specialized resolution on dragon fruit development and a resolution on collective economic development, one product per commune.

The locality combines these two thematic resolutions, assigning specific “roles” in implementing the linkage chain. Accordingly, farmers strive to produce according to GAP and organic standards to create good quality products to serve the market. The State will create conditions for businesses and cooperatives to develop, play a linking role, and find markets for products in the form of consumption.

The district concretizes 2 thematic resolutions into annual plans for implementation. In particular, the key solution is to invest in upgrading infrastructure in electricity, transportation, irrigation to serve production development...

FORMATION OF SPECIALIZED CULTIVATION ZONES

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DARD) of Tien Giang province, thanks to its location along the Tien River, fertile alluvium and favorable water resources, specialized crop production areas have soon formed in the province.

In the province, concentrated growing areas have been formed with famous specialty crops such as: Hoa Loc mango (Cai Be district), Ngu Hiep durian (Cai Lay district), Tan Lap pineapple (Tan Phuoc district), dragon fruit (Cho Gao district), Co Co hairy grapefruit...

This is the condition and opportunity for fruit production for export, contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality. In particular, the main fruit trees with export potential include: durian (24,585 ha, output of 457,892 tons), jackfruit (15,832 ha, output of 332,080 tons), dragon fruit (8,537 ha, output of 300,107 tons), grapefruit (4,102 ha, output of 61,710 tons)... mainly concentrated in Cai Lay, Cai Be, Chau Thanh, Tan Phuoc, Cho Gao districts, Cai Lay town, and My Tho city.

Also according to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in recent times, in order to develop key fruit trees with export potential of the province, the province has implemented projects such as: Project "Developing durian trees in Tien Giang province to 2025", Project "Developing dragon fruit trees in Tien Giang province to 2025", Project "Converting the structure of crops and livestock in the area north of National Highway 1 in Tien Giang province", Project on Building a chain of production - consumption of dragon fruit in the period of 2020 - 2025 and orientation to 2030, Project on Building a chain of production - consumption of durian in the period of 2020 - 2025 and orientation to 2030, Project on Building a chain of production - small-scale collection of Hoa Loc mango in Tien Giang province in the period of 2020 - 2025 and orientation to 2030.

In addition, the province also has plans to support the development of key agricultural products, plans to organize the implementation of the "Project on developing key fruit trees to 2025 and 2030" and "Directive on sustainable development of durian and passion fruit production" of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).

In recent years, to promote the development of the fruit industry, improve product quality, increase productivity and agricultural output, the province has reviewed and adjusted; at the same time, researched and developed investment projects to develop concentrated fruit growing areas based on exploiting the advantages and competitiveness of each ecological region in the province.

Tien Giang has calculated and determined development goals and implementation solutions suitable to the development requirements of each production area. In addition, the agricultural sector has also strengthened the transfer and application of high technology in production; issued MSVT, CSDG for agricultural exports; implemented policies to support production and link production - consumption.

Despite great strides in production transformation and the formation of large-scale concentrated production areas, the “billion-dollar” industry still contains many shortcomings and risks. Efficient and sustainable production is still the goal of the agricultural sector in general and fruit trees in particular.

A.THU - T. AN

(to be continued)

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202503/huong-di-nao-cho-nganh-hang-ty-do-bai-2-khai-thac-toi-da-loi-the-1038407/