Bringing Central Highlands specialties to the world

30 years ago, Mr. Vo Huu Long and his wife left their hometown to start a business in Lam Dong . From someone who knew nothing about durian, he gradually mastered the growing techniques and then pioneered the official export of the specialty of the red soil region to the Chinese market.

By simply tapping a knife on a durian, Mr. Vo Huu Long, Director of Long Thuy Company Limited, can accurately predict whether the skin is thick or thin, the seeds are large or small, and the flesh is dry or wet. By looking at the color of the skin, he can tell whether the fruit is ripe or not. “Quality determines value” is the principle at Long Thuy Company. Therefore, the person in charge of checking the quality of durian is always the highest paid position.

In 2016, facing the situation where farmers were often forced to lower prices by traders, he decided to establish Long Thuy Production and Trading Company Limited with the hope of stabilizing the output of durian. However, the small-scale export in the early years caused the business to constantly struggle due to border congestion, skyrocketing costs, and many times suffered heavy losses. Instead of giving up, he went to Thailand to learn about the production and export model, then returned to join hands with farmers to standardize the cultivation process, build a code for growing areas and a standard packaging facility.

September 21, 2022 marked a major turning point when Long Thuy Company became the first unit in Lam Dong to officially export durian to China. Currently, the enterprise has 15 growing area codes, two packaging codes, one express packaging code and stable cooperation with 16 cooperatives in the region, purchasing hundreds of tons of durian every day. The company maintains a stable source of goods, meeting export needs not only to China but also to other partners.

The Long Thuy factory has now expanded significantly, with a shelling workshop, a drying workshop, a modern cold storage facility on an area of three hectares, and hundreds of workers working continuously to process and package durians to meet standards. However, in the context of the Vietnamese durian industry facing a series of challenges, export activities at Long Thuy are also facing many difficulties.

Mr. Long said that the inspection process currently takes more than 10 days, while the testing costs have also increased many times. The extended export time causes each container to cost more than 200 million VND. For the durian industry to develop sustainably, he proposed establishing a specialized association to act as a coordinating focal point. In addition, it is necessary to invest in upgrading testing centers and adjusting inspection standards to suit farmers' production levels. Strict control of fertilizer quality is also necessary to limit risks such as the recent cadmium incident.

Mr. Vo Huu Long always believes that "if you want to go far, you have to go together", wishing to build a billion-dollar industry with his passion and belief in Vietnamese agricultural products.