Finding a separate path for dragon fruit export

After more than 7 years of operation, Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative is no longer a stranger to dragon fruit farmers in Ham Thuan Bac district in particular and the province in general, because the Cooperative has boldly chosen its own path, producing safe dragon fruit according to VietGAP, GlobalGAP standards and exporting to the European market. Thanks to that, through many ups and downs, the members of the Cooperative are still optimistic, confident in production, still maintaining the crop that helped them escape poverty with a stable income.

Slow and steady wins the race

Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative (Ham Liem Commune, Ham Thuan Bac District) was established in October 2016. Although it was established quite late compared to many other cooperatives in the province, the 11 initial members with an area of about 30 hectares of dragon fruit grown according to VietGAP standards have found their own path, not depending too much on the Chinese market. "Born later", but Mr. Tran Dinh Trung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cooperative shared, perhaps that was the Cooperative's luck because it was not caught up in the vortex of the majority at that time. The Cooperative was established at a time that could be said to be the peak of Binh Thuan dragon fruit. "We came later, so we were more cautious and determined right from the beginning that we had to produce in a clean and safe direction. Therefore, right from the start of growing dragon fruit, the Cooperative has always strictly followed the process of producing dragon fruit according to VietGAP standards. Thanks to that, the dragon fruit produced ensures standards, meeting the domestic and foreign needs of ordering partners".

Mr. Trung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative (2nd from left) is introducing the dragon fruit packaging process to partners.

In early 2017, with the support of Socencoop and the European Union-funded Mutrap project, Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative achieved GlobalGAP certification from dragon fruit that met VietGAP standards. After that, the Cooperative attended the Fruit Logistica International Fair 2017 at the Berlin Exhibition Center (Germany). "Perhaps this is a good start to pave the way for Binh Thuan dragon fruit to be on the shelves of German supermarkets - the most demanding market in Europe when it is highly appreciated by customers at the world's largest fair center" - the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cooperative shared.

Dragon fruit products of Thuan Tien Cooperative are always highly appreciated.

Since that fair, the orders have been pouring in, causing Mr. Trung and the members of the cooperative to be “overloaded” and unable to meet the output. Therefore, the cooperative has linked up with other cooperatives in the province to increase output to meet market demand. In addition, the cooperative has also linked up with partners supplying fertilizers and pesticides to gradually stabilize input for members. Building a safe production process for all members, products are certified as safe food supply chains; signing many long-term contracts to supply dragon fruit products to customers.

Binh Thuan dragon fruit will regain its true value

Currently, when the cooperative signs a contract with a partner to export dragon fruit to the European market at a stable price of 23,000 VND/kg, the cooperative holds a member meeting, publicly discloses expenses such as: warehousing, packaging, management..., the remaining value is 19,000 - 20,000 VND/kg, then the members benefit directly. Because of the clarity, transparency and bringing profits to members, each year the cooperative purchases about 300 tons of standard dragon fruit to export to demanding markets such as Europe, Australia, and the US. Therefore, it has contributed to increasing the stable income for cooperative members from 35% to 50%/year and the area from the initial 30 hectares has also increased to more than 70 hectares. Mr. Trung said that thanks to the change in production methods towards growing clean and safe dragon fruit, the cooperative has been able to maintain and create a stable market, improving the lives of farmers. Most recently, Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative has joined the Binh Thuan Sustainable Production and Consumption Ecosystem Cooperative and has also exported to the Australian and Indian markets. In the coming time, the Cooperative will expand by 20 hectares of dragon fruit according to GlobalGAP standards with an output of about 30 tons/year to meet the strict food safety requirements of demanding markets. "With this slow and steady path, we believe that Binh Thuan dragon fruit will regain its true value and contribute to bringing high profits to farmers."

Mr. Trung (far right) - representative of the first cooperative in the province selected and recognized as a national outstanding cooperative in 2023 by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union.

In 2020, this cooperative achieved OCOP certification for 4-star white-flesh dragon fruit and 3-star red-flesh dragon fruit. After 1 year, cooperative members have maintained production in the direction of GlobalGAP while continuing to link and entrust consumption to cooperatives such as: Phu Thinh dragon fruit cooperative; Thuan Hoa dragon fruit cooperative; Bac Binh dragon fruit cooperative; Thuan Quy dragon fruit cooperative. In addition, Thuan Tien dragon fruit cooperative also signed contracts with many export enterprises with stable prices for members from 22,000 - 23,000 VND/kg. In particular, the cooperative also achieved Organic certification for 10 hectares. By 2022, the cooperative had expanded to other dragon fruit cooperatives in the province such as Ham Kiem dragon fruit cooperative, Phuc Vinh dragon fruit cooperative. Also in this year, Thuan Tien dragon fruit cooperative achieved 10 hectares of European Organic Agriculture certification and 13.1 hectares of GlobalGAP certification. Not only that, Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative was also granted a Certificate of Trademark Registration by the Department of Intellectual Property; the Cooperative was granted a Certificate of Safe Supply Chain; the Cooperative always applies high technology in production such as: converting LED bulbs, drip irrigation systems and coordinating with the Farmers' Association to propagate to farmers the successful conversion...

With these outstanding achievements, Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative - is the first cooperative in the province to be selected and recognized as a typical cooperative nationwide in 2023 by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union.

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