According to the Processing and Market Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to develop the durian sector sustainably and stably, Dak Lak Province needs to invest resources in science and technology, build brands, and propose mechanisms to enhance the internal strength of durian farmers, support export enterprises to promote linkages in production and consumption of the 2024 durian crop.
On July 2nd, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development organized a conference to deploy the 2024 durian crop.
Participants at the conference included Mr. Le Thanh Hoa - Deputy Director of the Processing and Market Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, provincial leaders, departments, district People's Committees, durian production and export enterprises.

Delegates attending the conference noted that Dak Lak Province, with the largest area in the Central Highlands and the country, has significant potential and advantages for developing durian trees.
Statistics show that in 2023, the durian area in Dak Lak Province was 32,785 hectares, an increase of 10,326.4 hectares compared to 2022; production reached 281,350 tons, an increase of 93,364 tons compared to 2022. Currently, the province has 23 packaging facilities and 68 growing areas, with a total area of 2,521 hectares already certified by China for export.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, speaking at the conference, stated that Dak Lak Province has issued 266 growing area codes covering a total area of 7,292 hectares (accounting for 79.8% of pure growing area and 46% compared to the area for products). Regarding preliminary processing and processing, the province has 251 purchasing establishments, concentrated in several districts such as Krông Pắc with 101 facilities, Cư M’gar with 64 facilities, Krông Búk with 11 facilities, and Buôn Hồ with 10 facilities.
Regarding the establishment of durian brands, Dak Lak Province has obtained Intellectual Property Office certificates for the "Krông Pắc Durian" and "Cư M’gar Durian" brands. There are also two districts currently developing projects and registering trademarks: Krông Búk and Ea H’Leo.
Based on the monitoring work, it is evident that fundamentally, growing areas and packaging facilities adhere well to requirements such as having production processes, pest management procedures, and monitoring the subjects of interest to China, as well as carrying out agricultural operation logging

Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Processing and Market Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
After the provincial People's Committee issued the directive for specific delegation and classification, localities have been more proactive and engaged in establishing, issuing, and managing cultivation area codes. As a result, the process of establishing cultivation areas has been expedited, with more diverse types of crops being granted codes, such as Krông Búk, Ea H’leo, Cư M’gar, Krông Pắc, Krông Năng, Buôn Ma Thuột City, and Buôn Hồ Town. Departments, sectors, and localities have actively promoted and encouraged the establishment of cooperatives and associations to serve as focal points linking farmers with export enterprises, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development through value chain integration.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nhiem, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, proposed solutions for the durian export season of 2024.
However, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) acknowledges that the "hot growth" in the area and production of durian poses many risks when market fluctuations occur. The durian industry still lacks weak linkages in cultivation areas, production organization, procurement activities, processing, preservation, and consumption of durian. Many durian-producing areas are still fragmented, small-scale, and dispersed.
In addition, some districts still face issues where people grow durian in unsuitable areas with inadequate irrigation, poorly implemented production processes, and insufficient control over plant quarantine targets such as wax scales, fruit flies, and residues of plant protection chemicals that importing countries are concerned about.
The functional agencies in Dak Lak Province proposed solutions to enhance administrative capacity, organize production of some cooperatives, and manage growing area codes effectively. They also suggested strengthening propaganda and urging the use of plant protection drugs to ensure compliance with the 4 rights principle (right drug, right time, right dose-concentration, and right method) and harvesting durian only when ripe; Enhance commercial promotion activities for durian products; inspect the legal aspects of trade, residues of plant protection chemicals, and some heavy metals...
To maximize the effectiveness of the durian sector, Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development support the construction and issuance of standard procedures for planting, harvesting, and off-season durian production, adapting to climate change in key production areas. He recommended reviewing and amending "TCVN 10739: 2015 - Fresh Durian" and upgrading it to Vietnamese Standards, specifying criteria such as dry matter content, harvest time, and harvest standards suitable for different regions, seasons, and varieties, ensuring improved durian fruit quality. They also proposed developing and completing the legal framework for managing growing areas, packaging facilities, and sanctions for violations. They emphasized the need to negotiate with the Chinese General Administration of Customs to expedite the approval process of growing area codes for established records.
Guide localities to review, identify, and adjust the scale of concentrated planting areas to ensure compliance with the approval of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the 2025-2030 period...
Propose solutions to enhance export strengths, as perceived by Ms. Ngo Tuong Vy - CEO of Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Corporation, Vice President of the Durian Association of Dak Lak Province. Vietnamese durians are highly valued for their quality compared to the Thai market, and prices have increased compared to the previous years. Therefore, the durian industry in Dak Lak Province needs to focus on harmonizing the establishment of procedures for assigning planting area codes, packaging, controlling residues of plant protection chemicals, and post-harvest preservation...

Mrs. Ngo Tuong Vy - CEO of Chanh Thu Fruit Import Export Corporation, Deputy Chairman of the Durian Association of Dak Lak Province
Mrs. Ngo Tuong Vy - CEO of Chanh Thu Fruit Import Export Corporation, Deputy Chairman of the Durian Association of Dak Lak Province, suggested that the Association would actively build solutions with cooperatives and purchasing enterprises to ensure sustainable durian outputs, benefiting farmers. They emphasized enhancing communication among farmers about effective durian farming models, self-protection, soil protection, cultivation area, and control of plant protection chemicals and product quality. She suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development support early checks on the list of growing area codes, improve supply chain understanding, efficiently resolve durian sources, and expand export markets.
To address existing challenges and direct the stable, sustainable development of durian production and exports in the province, Mr. Le Thanh Hoa - Deputy Director of the Processing and Market Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized that "Quality will determine the durian brand. Dak Lak needs to make changes to enforce this issue, invest in science and technology for durian and the agricultural spearhead sector, collaborate with research institutions to invest resources in researching the situation of pest diseases, standards for durian, and other agricultural products to meet the needs of farmers and export markets, while promoting internal strength for sustainable durian sector in the future.
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It is forecasted that in 2024, the national durian area will reach about 151,000 hectares, with an expected production of about 1.5 million tons. Dak Lak Province is expected to cover 34,000 - 35,000 hectares with an estimated production exceeding 300,000 tons. Durian export turnover until the end of the first quarter of 2024 reached nearly 57,000 tons, earning USD 253 million, increasing by 42% in volume and 63.7% in value compared to the same period in 2023. |
Kim Bao