Make good code for the export durian area

Harvesting durian in the durian area of Phu An (Tan Phu district). Photo: Phan Anh

With over 9.1 thousand hectares, Dong Nai is the province with a large durian area of the country with an output of more than 50,000 tons/year. Dong Nai is also one of the leading provinces to effectively implement the issuance of area codes for durian cultivation for export to China.
The province's durian area is highly appreciated
In 2022, the General Administration of Customs of China has officially approved 51 codes of growing areas and 25 codes of Vietnamese durian packing establishments that are allowed to export to China. The total area of 51 durian growing areas granted the code is about 3,000 hectares, accounting for about 3.5% of the total durian area nationwide with an expected output of about 68,000 tons/year.
In addition to the large durian area, Dong Nai mainly grows durian varieties favored by the export market such as: Ri 6 variety accounts for 45% of the area, and Dona variety accounts for 50% of the area. Durian grown in the province also achieves both yield and quality with an average of about 12 tons/ha; In particular, there are areas reaching 25 tons/ha such as: Cam My District, Ho Chi Minh City. Long Khanh.
In this assessment, Dong Nai has 7 durian growing areas participating in the assessment and all meet the standards and are granted the planting area code, including: Xuan Dinh Agricultural Service Trading Cooperative (Xuan Loc district); Lo Than Durian Cooperative, Nhan Nghia growing area (Cam My district); Phu An Agricultural Service Cooperative, Phu Son Durian Cooperative Group (Tan Phu District); Xuan Lap Agricultural, Commercial and Service Cooperative, Binh Loc Agriculture, Service and Trade Cooperative (Long Khanh City). The total area of 7 planting areas with the code is 533 ha.
Mr. Phung Thanh Tam, Director of Binh Loc Agricultural, Service and Trade Cooperative shared, the advantage when the cooperative sets the code for the durian growing area is that for many years, farmers have turned to organic production, safe production. In order to meet the criteria for issuing planting area codes, farmers are trained in integrated pest management; measures to manage pests and diseases in planted gardens; farming practices, post-harvest management. All farmers have to keep a farming diary and store documents, so that it is easy to check the use of biological fertilizers, the process of pest control, in particular, some active ingredients have been warned not to be used from the importing country.
According to Ms. Tran Thi Tu Oanh, Deputy Head of the Sub-Department of Cultivation, Plant Protection and Irrigation (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development), to prepare for the official export of durian products to the Chinese market. Right from the beginning of 2021, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with specialized agencies of districts and cities to propagate and guide businesses, organizations and individuals wishing to export agricultural products on regulations on granting codes of growing areas and packing facilities.
Building sustainable links
With the advantage of having a large durian area, the province attracts many durian exporters who ask for cooperation with farmers to multiply the area granted with the planting area code to meet the export market.
Director of Thuan Huong Production Trading Co., Ltd. Liu Tac Sang said that durian is an export product with high economic value, so businesses actively register for the export packing facility code. Because official export will no longer worry about congestion when China closes the border, reducing risks in transportation and consumption, and ensuring a more stable output for durian.
According to businesses that purchase and pack durians for export, the next harvest season, businesses are worried about difficulties in ensuring export durian output because the area of planting area code is too small compared to the total durian area. The business side hopes that the Dong Nai provincial government and localities will support businesses and farmers to quickly increase the area of durian that is granted a planting area code. Businesses also want to build a chain of links with farmers, with durian growing areas that have been granted codes in a sustainable way.
Ms. Hoang Thi My Ngoc, Director of Hoa Hanh Fruit Import-Export Co., Ltd (Bau Tram Commune, Long Khanh City) shared that the company currently has 3 factories to pack and preliminarily process durian for export. In particular, the factory in Long Khanh city alone has a capacity of 150 tons/day, purchasing about 90,000 tons of durian/year. The enterprise has built a team of technicians to guide people to make planting area codes to ensure durian output for export to China as well as other fastidious markets. Enterprises hope that the local government will support businesses, cooperatives and farmers to build a chain of sustainable durian production and consumption in the locality.

​​Currently, the province has 13 registration dossiers for durian growing area codes with a total area of nearly 788 hectares. In which, there are 5 completed dossiers sent to the Plant Protection Department for code issuance, 4 are being completed and 4 are registered for examination and evaluation.