HƯNG YÊN – Longan growers should apply technologies in production to improve their fruit’s quality and value, heard attendees at a conference to promote longan consumption held in the northern Hưng Yên Province’s Khoái Châu District on Tuesday.

Businesses at the event, which saw the participation of over 200 representatives from cooperatives, local farmers and businesses from Hà Nội and HCM City hailed Hưng Yên’s longan varieties. Hapro Hà Nội’s Managing Director Mai Khuê Anh suggested local authorities and relevant bodies provide technical support to local farmers to ensure their longan products are in line with standards on food safety in the growing, harvesting and packaging processes.

Director of Agri Việt Hưng Trading Company, Đỗ Đình Hưng also underlined the significance of the brand name and quality of Hưng Yên longans, saying that farmers need to grow their longan trees in line with the VietGAP standard to secure their consumption niche.

Chairman of the Khoái Châu District People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Sơn said the Hàm Tử 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 longan and ensure their production meets the requirements of food safety. Vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Đặng Ngọc Quỳnh highly valued the link among co-operatives, farmers and businesses in promoting the local longans. He said the province would facilitate businesses dealing with agricultural products as well as support the connection among stakeholders in the field to boost exports.

The co-operation among commercial centres and supermarkets would help longan and other agricultural products penetrate demanding markets such as the US, EU and Japan. Participants also witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between longan growers and businesses.

Khoái Châu District is the biggest longan growing area in Hưng Yên, with over 1,600 hectares of trees, mostly in Hàm Tử, Đông Kết, Bình Kiều, An Vĩ and Ông Đình communes. This year, the district produced 20,000 tonnes of fresh longans, worth over VNĐ400 billion (US$16 million). – VNS

Nguyễn Văn Dũng, chairman of the northern Hòa Bình Province People’s Committee on the same day granted trademark registration for Sơn Thủy longan in Kim Bôi District.

The intellectual property protection would help Sơn Thủy longan expand its market as well as bring clean agricultural products to consumers.

This has been the 8th product in the province registered for intellectual property protection.

The registration has been considered a condition to promote production and public awareness. It would also help develop traditional products.

By the end of June, the province had 107ha of Sơn Thủy longan with productivity of 14 tonnes per ha and average income of VNĐ300 million each. The selling price of the longan are VNĐ20,000-25,000 per kilo.

The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also granted food safety certification to 31 households growing the longan. -- VNS