Citrus farmers in the northern Vietnamese province of Bac Giang have been earning high incomes from growing oranges and grapefruit. They started growing citrus fruit in Luc Ngan district around ten years ago, and they have since become a local staple and won favour among the pickiest consumers nationwide.
In recent years, the district has continued to expand its plantations and followed VietGap standards with the aim of exporting their products.
Tran Thi Phin, a farmer in Truong Sinh village, Tan Quang commune, said her family cultivates Dien grapefruit and green-skin grapefruit on an area of 7,200 square metres, and pockets 300-400 million VND (12,900–17,200 USD) each year.
Since 2017, the orchards have been developed in line with VietGAP standards, with processes such as fertiliser and pesticide use recorded daily. In a bid to facilitate the sharing of farming techniques to boost growth and consumption, households in Tan Quang commune formed the Luc Ngan fruit production cooperative two years ago. To date, some 50 hectares of oranges and grapefruit have been developed by 22 members under VietGAP standards. Around 20 hectares of oranges received the VietGAP certificate in 2018.
Chairman and Director of the cooperative Tran Dang Vinh said the cooperative plans to increase the acreage of its VietGAP plantations so that their fruits can hit the shelves at domestic and foreign supermarkets. Therefore, all members of the cooperative strictly adhere to clean production requirements.
Source: en.vietnamplus.vn
