Members of Thành Chí Co-operative in Trà Vinh Province’s Càng Long District harvest seedless limes. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Hoà

TRÀ VINH — Farmers in Trà Vinh Province are expanding the cultivation of seedless limes as they have high export demand and profits.

The model of growing seedless limes with linkages among stakeholders for exporting offers farmers a profit of VNĐ400 million (US$15,900) per hectare a year, which is seven to eight times more than growing rice, according to farmers.

Tạ Quốc Huy in Càng Long District’s Huyền Hội Commune has turned his 5,500 sq.m unproductive rice field into a seedless lime orchard and has earned stable income for two years from growing 200 seedless lime trees.

He links with Thành Chí Co-operative in the commune to grow the fruit, is instructed on farming techniques and secures sales at a price that is VNĐ3,000 a kg higher than market prices.

He said the co-operative buys the fruit at a price of at least VNĐ10,000 a kg in the main harvest season compared to the market price of about VNĐ4,000 - 5,000 a kg.

In the off-season, the market price is VNĐ20,000 - VNĐ30,000 a kg, and the co-operative pays VNĐ3,000 a kg higher than these prices, he said. 

He harvests about 30 tonnes a year and earns an average profit of VNĐ300 million ($12,000), he said.

“I received a soft loan of VNĐ50 million ($2,000) from the province’s Farmers Association and will expand growing seedless limes,” he said.

Besides its 100 members, Thành Chí Co-operative has linked with many farmers in Càng Long and other districts to grow the fruit as it has contracted with a company to grow and export the fruit to the EU.

Phan Đức Tài, its director, said the company needs about 100 tonnes of seedless limes for export a month but his co-operative can only meet 30-50 per cent of the demand.

“The co-operative will link with more farmers to expand growing areas and expects to develop an additional 50ha each year from now to 2027,” he said.

The co-operative has linked with farmers to grow a total of 120ha of seedless limes to global good agricultural practices (GlobalGAP) standards as of May this year.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has encouraged farmers to turn unproductive rice fields into growing other high value crops, including seedless limes.

Thái Phước Lộc, chairman of the province Co-operatives Alliance, said that besides Càng Long, seedless lime growing areas are expanding to the districts of Châu Thành, Trà Cú and Tiểu Cần.

The alliance will co-operate with these localities to create favourable conditions for Thành Chí Co-operative to access financial support to build warehouses, develop labels, brand names and growing codes, he said.

Phạm Quốc Việt, deputy chairman of the Farmers Association, said the province expects to develop an additional 50ha of seedless lime from now to year-end, mostly in Châu Thành and Trà Cú districts.  

Seedless limes are easy to grow, have few diseases, require less tending and low production cost, and have high demand.

Limes adapt to climate change and require less irrigation water.

Việt said: “The association is supporting soft loans for its members and co-operative groups to implement the model of growing seedless limes with linkages for export.”

The association has provided soft loans of VNĐ2 billion ($79,000) to support farmers and start-ups who grow seedless limes in Càng Long, Châu Thành, Tiểu Cần and Trà Cú districts, he said. — VNS