Mangosteen farmers in the south-eastern province of Binh Duong have had a bumper crop of mangosteens this season, caused by long periods of hot weather, low rainfall and support from local authorities. The province, one of the country’s largest mangosteen producers, has more than 1,000ha of mangosteens.
In Thuan An township, the province’s largest mangosteen area, crops in An Thanh, Hung Dinh and Binh Nham wards and An Son commune have increased by 15 – 20 percent against last year, according to orchard owners. The harvest season for the fruit normally begins in lunar May and lasts for about three months.
In Thuan An township, mangosteen has been cultivated since the 19th century and is famous for its delicious taste. Local authorities upgraded the irrigation system, which also helped produce higher yields, she said, adding that farmers had received funds from the local authorities to buy fertiliser.
The An Son Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative has 11 members growing mangosteen. Seven of the members grow mangosteen on a total area of 14ha under good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards.
The cooperative has harvested more than 50 tonnes of mangosteen, up nearly 20 tonnes against last year. The co-operative’s mangosteen orchard earned a profit of about 200 million VND (8,590 USD) each.
According to an article on vietnamplus.vn, traders are buying mangosteen for 50,000 – 80,000 VND (2.2 – 3.4 USD) a kilogramme.
