HCM CITY –  Local authorities in Bình Dương Province’s Thuận An Town are taking steps to promote the area’s famous Lái Thiêu mangosteen, a fruit specialty cultivated since the 19th century in the southeastern province.

Thuận An Town’s Lái Thiêu Ward was the first area in the province to grow the fruit, which offered high profits for farmers, according to Trần Ngọc Phương, chairwoman of the town’s Farmers Association.

However, since 2010, many mangosteen orchards have declined in yield, quality and area.

In Thuận An, areas devoted to mangosteen are mostly in Lái Thiêu, An Thạnh, Hưng Định and Bình Nhâm wards.

In 2010-13, the Thuận An People’s Committee conducted a survey on creating a registered collective brandname for Lái Thiêu mangosteen. In 2013, the National Office of Intellectual Property granted the specialty fruit a certificate as a collective brandname.

The Thuận An Town Farmers Association has the right to use the collective brand for its mangosteens.

After the brandname was granted, mangosteen orchard owners organised clubs and co-operatives and encouraged members to use the same planting techniques.

With these activities, the town’s mangosteen area expanded to 680 ha last year from 660ha in 2015.  

Trần Văn Viễn, director of the An Sơn Commune Agricultural Service Co-operative in Thuận An, said the commune accounts for 70 per cent of the town’s mangosteen area.

Recently, the cooperative had to turn down an order from a supermarket for one tonne of mangosteens a day because supply could not meet demand.

Seven of the cooperative members use Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice (VietGAP) standards.

Last year, An Sơn Commune produced about 60 tonnes of mangosteen, which was just enough for the province’s market.

The Thuận An Town Farmers Association has set up a board to monitor the use of the Lái Thiêu mangosteen collective brandname. It is also working with local agencies to draw up regulations for the association members to follow.   

To promote the brand, the association will deliver leaflets about the fruit during the annual ripe-fruit season festival, said Phương, chairwoman of the Thuận An Town Farmers Association.

This year, the festival is being held in Thuận An on June 16-22. 

Trần Văn Đồng, who owns a 1.6 orchard that plants Burmese grapes and mangosteen in Thuận An’s An Thạnh Ward, said his orchard had yielded 20 per cent more than last year.

This year he did not sell his fruit to traders, but sold directly to consumers to earn higher profits, he said. Mangosteens sold out quickly because of high demand.- VNS