Bring the hawthorn fruit to the streets.

Yen Bai , the land where Ms. Doan Thi Luong was born and raised, has a distinctive fruit: the hawthorn, also known as the wild apple. This astringent, sour wild fruit is often dried and used to make alcoholic beverages. During the harvest season, hawthorn berries are sold cheaply. Seeing the difficulties people faced in selling them, Ms. Luong was determined to increase the value of this fruit.

Ms. Luong said: "After graduating from Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, I decided to change direction and return to my hometown to start a business selling wild apples. I spent a lot of time researching, exploring, and processing products from wild apples to preserve the fruit for longer while still maintaining its traditional flavor."

In July 2022, with the encouragement and support of the local government, I and several colleagues joined forces to establish the Doan Luong General Processing and Trading Cooperative in Tien Phu village, Van Phu commune, Yen Bai city, Yen Bai province.

"We aim to make wild apples the main product of the cooperative, helping local people increase their income. Instead of selling fresh produce, the cooperative has processed wild apples into vinegar, candied fruit, and jam, which have been well received by consumers."

PV: What difficulties did you encounter on your entrepreneurial journey?

Ms. Doan Thi Luong : My entrepreneurial journey with wild apples has faced many difficulties. First of all, wild apples are a seasonal fruit, only available from about July to September each year. To be able to supply enough products to the market, the cooperative had to operate at full capacity with the participation of 10-15 members.

On average, each season, the cooperative processes and sells about 150 tons, including about 2 tons of candied fruit, 2 tons of jam, and 2,000 liters of apple cider. We have to calculate and balance to ensure both production volume and market demand.

PV: What is your business philosophy?

Ms. Doan Thi Luong: To build a reputation in the market, quality and professionalism are the principles I always pursue. From raw materials to processing and preservation, everything must be done with great care. My top priority is selecting high-quality raw materials.

Wild apples are a signature fruit of Yen Bai province. While many places cultivate them, the cooperative carefully selects the growing areas, traveling directly to the Tu Le orchard (Van Chan district, Yen Bai province) to research, purchase, and place orders. All wild apples used to produce candied fruit, jam, etc., are carefully selected, using only fresh, undamaged, and unspoiled fruits.

PV: What activities has the cooperative implemented to develop production?

Ms. Doan Thi Luong: We have sought support and loans to expand our scale and invest in more machinery for production. In addition, members of the cooperative have also made efforts in introducing, promoting, and displaying products, diversifying sales methods, from direct sales at stores and dealerships in tourist areas inside and outside the province to online sales.

To date, after more than a year since its establishment, the cooperative has generated an income of 5-6 million VND per month for its members. In addition, the cooperative also acts as a liaison, linking and marketing products from local farmers at stable prices, preventing them from being exploited by middlemen.

Thanks to the application of biotechnology and scientific and technical advancements in processing, products made from hawthorn berries have higher value, forming a sustainable production and processing chain. I hope that one day, our products will be exported.

PV: Thank you!

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/dua-qua-son-tra-xuong-pho-20240702184130111.htm