Making money from local specialities

Nong Van Nghiep – Phu Luu Commune in Ham Yen District, Tuyen Quang Province – said: “I have a diary where I record my crop maintenance. These oranges have been grown under the VietGap standard for 2 years now and they all taste delicious. We stop using pesticide at least 2 months before harvest”.

Oranges grown under VietGap have higher productivity and stable pricing. Along with output support, the safety of the fruit increases the competitiveness of Ham Yen oranges.

Ta Thi Thu – Manager of Fruit Center, Ham Yen District, Tuyen Quang Province – said: “We will expand the area of fruits grown under the VietGAP model to 700 hectares. Our total current growing area is 5,000 hectares. To apply the VietGAP standard to all these areas is difficult. Thus, in the future, to ensure safety, we will develop the peer-check model among households before inspection”.

Ham Yen district has reserved 10 hectar area for a planed orange juice processing plant. Once the plant become operational, it will complete a value chain for the local specialty. The story of Ham Yen orange is just one of the many other Vietnamese products with brands that are being established to help locals flourish financially.