Connecting farmers with businesses to grow 'billion dollar trees' for sustainable development

DNVN - Durian (also known as the billion-dollar tree by farmers in many places) is one of the fruit trees with the highest income today, billions of VND/ha. In recent years, the area of ​​durian cultivation has exploded in many places. In order for the durian industry to develop sustainably, it is necessary to reorganize the structure and connect farmers with businesses.

Low price still "makes a lot of money"

According to the agricultural sector of the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta, durian is currently one of the fruit trees with the highest income. On average, durian yields about 20 tons/ha, with the current selling price of 50,000 - 56,000 VND/kg (Ri6 variety), farmers can earn 1 billion VND/ha or more. For households that process the fruit early in the season, the price is up to 130,000 VND/kg, bringing in an income of about 2.6 billion VND/ha.

Farmers in Hau Giang province are happy with their durian gardens, which yield higher profits than rice and other crops .

Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, a durian farmer in Truong Long commune, Phong Dien district, Can Tho city, said that his family had just sold 8 tons of Ri6 durian to traders from Tien Giang to buy for export at a price of 56,000 VND/kg. Although this price is much lower than the price at the beginning of the season in March 2024 of 130,000 VND/kg, it is still highly profitable, because the investment cost for growing durian is only 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg.

With a 5-hectare durian garden bearing fruit, Mr. Nguyen Van Tai, who lives in the same commune as Mr. Tho, revealed that his family has just sold more than 8 tons of Ri6 durian to traders at a price of 50,000 - 56,000 VND/kg, which translates to an income of more than 400 million VND, much higher than growing rice and other seedlings.

“Because many places are currently harvesting durian, and countries like Malaysia and Thailand are also in season, it is obvious that domestic durian prices will decrease,” said Mr. Tai.

Mr. Tran Viet My, residing in Mot Ngan town, Chau Thanh district, Hau Giang province, said that his family used to grow oranges but the income was not much because the price often dropped. After learning about growing durian in some places and receiving technical support from the district agricultural extension station, in recent years he has converted 7 hectares of oranges to Ri6 durian, applying an automatic spraying system and water-saving irrigation, so the garden still grows well in the dry season.

"Currently, my family's durian garden produces about 10 tons of fruit, selling for 55,000 VND/kg, earning 550 million VND," Mr. My revealed.

Workers pack durian for export in Tien Giang.

Due to the sky-high revenue, in recent years, the expansion of durian acreage has exploded in many places; including areas outside the planning, unfavorable in terms of dykes, irrigation, transportation, and soil conditions, but farmers still rush to grow durian despite warnings and concerns from authorities about the risk of excess output and falling prices... Typically, along Phung Hiep, Chau Thanh, Chau Thanh A districts, Nga Bay city, Hau Giang province are places where farmers have recently cleared sugarcane, orange trees, and rice fields to grow durian.

Protect the "billion dollar tree"

According to the Vietnamese agricultural sector, in the project to develop the country's key fruit trees by 2030, the area of ​​durian is from 65,000 - 75,000 hectares, however, by 2023, the whole country had 151,000 hectares of durian, far exceeding the planning and currently the movement to plant this "billion-dollar tree" has not stopped.

Although durian is “hot”, its limitations, shortcomings and lack of sustainability have been exposed. The situation of everyone doing their own thing, competing to buy and sell durian is happening in many places. The area of ​​durian with links between farmers and consuming enterprises is still very small. In some places, there are still violations of codes for growing areas, packaging facilities, etc. Therefore, localities need to reorganize the durian industry in a more systematic and fundamental way.

A representative of Hau Giang's agricultural sector said that durian trees have only recently developed, but have so far reached about 2,550 hectares, of which more than 1,000 hectares are bearing fruit. The local agricultural sector recommends that people should not grow large-scale, small-scale, spontaneously, but should gather into cooperatives or cooperatives to link output with export enterprises.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta plant new durian on rice fields .

Tien Giang with 22,000 hectares of durian is helping many households become well-off. However, the provincial agricultural sector said it will not encourage farmers to expand their acreage, but will focus on transferring science and technology to help farmers reduce costs and improve the quality of exported durian... In addition to the large Chinese market, it will promote trade and expand new export markets.

Mr. Huynh Quang Duc - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre province informed that the province is building a concentrated fruit tree production area associated with value chain development, including durian. The province's viewpoint on durian development is to focus on improving quality, applying cultivation processes according to safety standards, meeting the requirements of importing countries. At the same time, strengthening linkages along the value chain...

In Can Tho, the functional sector also reorganized the durian industry towards developing cooperatives to link with businesses. Mr. Tran Van Chien - Director of Truong Khuong Ah Fruit Cooperative, Phong Dien District affirmed that the cooperative is linking with businesses supplying input materials at preferential prices and exporting businesses to ensure output when the harvest season comes.

“From this connection, the cooperative members produce according to the standards set by the importing countries. Absolutely do not use banned substances, do not harvest young durian. When the durian is about 90 days old, the fruit is naturally ripe on the tree, then cut to ensure fatness, sweetness... Thanks to that, the cooperative's durian is very easy to sell and has not been warned by importers,” said Mr. Chien.

Minister Le Minh Hoan, head of Vietnam's agricultural sector, said that the agricultural development strategy is reflected in "cooperation - association - market". Therefore, in order for the durian industry to develop sustainably, the structure must be reorganized, including linking farmers with businesses.

According to the minister, reorganizing production is not simply about improving farming techniques, but also creating a space for farmers and businesses to sit together, understand each other, and work together. State management of the durian industry needs to be tightened further in localities. Farmers and cooperatives work together to cultivate quality, safe products. When trading and exporting durian, the business community is not only for profit, but also for the responsibility to the country's agriculture.

“Therefore, we should shift from a buyer-seller relationship to cooperation and responsibility. This requires changing the way of thinking: ‘farmers think seasonally - businesses think commercially’, only then can we develop long-term,” Mr. Le Minh Hoan emphasized.

Thai Cuong

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/gan-ket-nong-dan-voi-doanh-nghiep-de-trong-cay-tien-ty-phat-trien-ben-vung/20240613013104219