The VietGap-met longan was grown in nearly 20 hectares in Ham Tu Commune in Khoai Chau District and Hong Nam Commune in Hung Yen city, of northern Hung Yen Province. Hong Nam Commune grows longan trees on over 170 hectares, producing an annual average of 2,000 tonnes of fruit.
Hung Yen has 3,000 hectares of longan trees, yielding 35,000-40,000 tonnes per year, mostly in Khoai Chau, Hung Yen City, and Kim Dong District. As many as 175 households, owning 20 hectares of longan trees have been granted the codes to export their products to the US.
They are required to strictly follow Vietnamese Good Agriculture Practice (VietGap) standards like using only permitted bio-pesticides. The US Department of Agriculture approved the import of fresh lychee and longan from Vietnam in 2013.
The fruits will be subject to a system that includes treatment and inspection requirements and restrictions on distribution. As a pre-condition for entry, the fruits must be grown in orchards registered with and monitored by the National Plant Protection Organisation of Vietnam to ensure they are disease-free.
Business representatives hailed Hung Yen longan varieties, saying that longan growers should apply technologies in production to improve their fruit’s quality and value. Local authorities and relevant bodies provide technical support for local farmers to ensure their longan products are in line with standards on food safety in the growing, harvesting and packaging processes.
The significance of the brand name and quality of Hung Yen longans is always underlined, farmers need to grow their longan trees in line with the VietGap standard to secure their consumption niche.
According to Chairman of the Khoai Chau District People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Son, Ham Tu Commune produces 120 tonnes of longans meeting VietGap standards for export. The district has also called on local farmers to select high-yield varieties of longans and ensure their production meets the requirements of food safety.
For his part, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang Ngoc Quynh hailed the link among cooperatives, farmers and businesses in promoting the local longans. He pledged the province will facilitate businesses dealing with agricultural products as well as support the connection among stakeholders in the field to boost exports.
Participants also witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between longan growers and businesses. Khoai Chau is the biggest longan growing area in Hung Yen, with over 1,600 hectares of trees, mostly in Ham Tu, Dong Ket, Binh Kieu, An Vi and Ong Dinh communes. This year, the district produced 20,000 tonnes of fresh longans, worth over 400 billion VND (16 million USD).
According to Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Doan Thi Chai, the province has more than 20 hectares of longan granted regional codes for export to the US. The official also noted that all coded longan areas will be cultivated under the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice (VietGAP) standards in which farmers only use permitted bio-pesticides and keep spray diaries to ensure longan quality and safety.
The farmers have been trained in longan growing techniques and the proper use of herbicides and taught the export procedures required by the US and other overseas markets. They have also been helped by the provincial DARD to monitor plant diseases and pesticide residues.
