Enhancing value of Khanh Son durian brand

Along with linking production and developing growing area codes for official durian export, Khanh Son district also calls on businesses to deeply process durian products to enhance the value of this specialty fruit.

Linking production and developing growing area codes

With advantages in climate and soil conditions, durian in Khanh Son has become an endemic, high-value agricultural product. The district's annual durian output reaches more than 15,000 tons and has been registered for trademark protection, voted as Vietnam's agricultural gold brand. According to the leader of Khanh Son District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, up to now, the district has developed 2,600 hectares of durian, more than 1,500 hectares of which are in the fruit-bearing period, with durian types such as: Monthong, Ri6, Musang King and Chin Hoa. In a short time, gardeners will begin to harvest durian, with an estimated output this year of about 17,000 - 18,000 tons.

Durian brings high income to local people in Khanh Son district.

Phan Truong Nam - Chairman of Son Trung Commune People's Committee shared: "In the commune, there are 230 hectares of durian, with an area in the business period of 150 hectares, the expected harvest this year is about 1,300 tons. In durian development, the commune focuses on supporting the establishment of 3 cooperative groups and 1 cooperative, attracting more than 50 gardeners to participate. Many products of cooperatives are recognized as meeting OCOP standards. Many durian growing areas of farmers have been granted planting area codes to officially export durians to China...".

Now, Khanh Son district has 11 cooperatives and 25 cooperative groups growing fruit trees and consuming durians, attracting hundreds of gardeners to participate. The district also mobilizes and encourages people to grow durians in the planning area, suitable to the climate and soil, especially ensuring water sources for irrigation. At the same time, the district has grown durians according to good agricultural practice (GAP) standards with a total area of ​​more than 350 hectares; developed 34 products of 3-star OCOP and one product of 4-star OCOP. In particular, in the area there are 15 durian growing area codes that are officially exported to China with a total area of ​​430 hectares.

According to Dinh Van Dung - Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee, in order to develop durian in a clean, safe direction, with geographical indications and traceability, being granted a growing area code is an important solution to maintain the quality of durians and enhance the value of this agricultural product. To maintain the growing area codes, in recent times, the district has promoted propaganda, training, and guidance for people on techniques for planting, caring for, and harvesting durian according to regulations. At the same time, the province has supported for people to produce durian according to good agricultural practices; mobilized households to promote production links and synchronize production processes, then gradually meeting the criteria for granting planting area codes such as area, production process, product quality...

Deep processing to increase value

Not only focusing on serving domestic consumption needs and officially exporting fresh durian, a direction that Khanh Son district focuses on is inviting businesses to invest in processing and enhancing the value of fresh durian. The pioneer in investing in this field is Thanh Hung Agriculture Company Limited, a local enterprise choosing to grow, trade, process, and develop value-added product lines of fresh durian fruit. From the organic durian growing area, which has met VietGAP standards, ripe durian fruits are harvested by the business, and through processing at a standard factory, a variety of products are produced like dried durian, durian ice cream, frozen durian, durian yogurt...

Durian processed by freeze drying technology at Thanh Hung Agriculture Company Limited

Nguyen Thi Vinh Hang - Deputy Director of Thanh Hung Agriculture Co., Ltd. shared: "Currently, the company focuses on building a chain of links with fruit growing cooperatives and gardeners in the district to open expand, develop durian growing areas in an organic direction, ensure safety for deep processing, continue to research and develop product lines from fresh durian fruit and officially export durian fruit abroad”.

According to Dinh Van Dung - Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee, developing a variety of products based on fresh durian for domestic consumption and export will contribute to enhancing the brand value of Khanh Son durian, increasing income for durian growers and increasing the average production value/ha of cultivated land in the district to reach 100 million VND/ha. The district encourages businesses to develop agriculture in the direction of multi-value integration, diversify OCOP products, integrate agriculture with tourism, link in chain from production to processing and consumption. The district also calls for investment in factories to process durians and farm products.

Hai Lang

Translated by T.T