|
Fruit farmers eye export market
Market prices for fruit have fallen sharply because of a plentiful supply of crops, leaving many farmers concerned whether they can invest in the next crop.
The price for some fruit has dropped by half compared to the previous harvest, industry experts have said.
Huynh Quang Dau, vice chairman of the Viet Nam Vegetables and Fruit Association, said poor planning was partly to blame for the drop in prices during the peak harvest season.
Fruit industry experts blamed the falling price on the massive inflow of fruit from Thailand and China, which are sold at competitive prices.
He said fruit farmers should be provided with guidelines to plant high quality hybrids that could bring them higher incomes in domestic and foreign markets.
Nguyen Minh Chau, head of the Southern Fruit Research Institute, said scientists and businesses should provide farmers with marketing and technical support.
Some companies, including Donatechno in Dong Nai Province and Vinamit in Binh Duong Province, have given funds to farmers so they can plant trees according to GlobalGAP (Good Agriculture Practice) standards.
The standards, required by many importing countries, help meet the demand for hygienic, high quality exports.
Pham Van Toan, chairman of a district farmers association, said fruit farmers in the Mekong Delta needed help in accessing export markets because the domestic market was not profitable.
Fruit orchards in the Mekong Delta are the country’s largest, covering 262,500 hectares with an annual output of 3 million tonnes, accounting for 46.1 per cent of the country’s total output.
VietNamNet, VietNamNews
|
