BRIDGES CONNECTING THE MARKET
In early June, Hung Vuong Square and many other locations in Dong Thap province became vibrant with a series of activities for the first Dong Thap Fruit Festival in 2026.
More than just a gathering place for specialty fruits, the festival also opens up a space for interaction and connection between farmers, cooperatives, businesses, distributors, and consumers.
With the theme "Dong Thap - Land of Sweet Fruits," the festival attracted over 500,000 visitors. The exhibition space showcased 35 types of specialty fruits, including 19 key fruits with high economic value of the province.
Besides fresh produce, many processed products, OCOP products, and products applying the circular economy are also introduced to consumers.
The trade promotion fair, with 100 booths, has become a vibrant trading hub. Here, visitors can not only enjoy famous fruits but also learn about safe production processes, traceability, and green agricultural models being implemented in the province.
A special feature of the Festival is the presence of digital technology in promotional activities and market connections. LED screens, QR codes for traceability, e-commerce booths, and live streaming sessions have created a new look for the fruit industry in Dong Thap.
According to assessments by relevant authorities, the festival not only contributes to promoting the local image but also creates opportunities for farmers to access modern consumer trends and gradually participate more deeply in the agricultural product value chain.
BRINGING SWEET FRUITS TO THE DIGITAL PLATFORM
While previously agricultural product consumption relied primarily on traders or traditional distribution channels, many farmers in Dong Thap have now begun to familiarize themselves with smartphones, social media, and e-commerce platforms.
Prior to the festival, the Department of Industry and Trade of Dong Thap province organized two e-commerce training courses with the theme "Hands-on guidance - Setting up and selling e-commerce for businesses in Dong Thap".
Nearly 200 trainees, representing businesses, cooperatives, household businesses, and gardeners, received guidance on setting up online stores, livestreaming skills, order management, and operating sales channels on e-commerce platforms.
From these classes, many farmers learned for the first time how to showcase their products in front of the camera, interact with customers, and process online orders. Many were initially hesitant but gradually realized the enormous potential of the digital environment.
Within the framework of the festival, live-streamed sales sessions became an activity that attracted particular attention.
Organizing a livestream session to promote and sell pineapples in Hung Thanh commune. Photo: M. Thanh
On June 4th, a livestream was held in a pineapple plantation in Hung Thanh commune, right in the middle of the growing area. The images of ripe, golden pineapples being harvested and packaged directly in the garden created a strong appeal for viewers.
The gap between producers and consumers has been eliminated. Farmers directly share their production stories and plant care processes, while customers in many provinces and cities can place orders instantly with just a few taps on their phones. After 1 hour and 30 minutes of livestreaming, 1,000 orders were sold, equivalent to 3.5 tons of fragrant pineapples and other types of pineapples.
During the festival, content creators continued to conduct numerous live streams on TikTok Shop and Shopee to promote agricultural products from Dong Thap and the Southern region.
Notably, according to statistics from the Festival Organizing Committee, in the first few days of the event, 5 livestream sessions reached over 6.5 million viewers, generating 3,380 orders for new sellers entering the digital environment.
These figures demonstrate the power of digital transformation in agriculture. From a live broadcast from the farm, products can reach customers nationwide without being limited by geographical distance.
Beyond just selling products, livestreaming also helps tell stories about the land, the people, and the process of producing agricultural products.
As a result, brand value is enhanced, and consumer trust is strengthened. The success of livestream sessions also reflects a change in the production mindset of farmers.
From focusing solely on productivity, many farmers have begun to pay more attention to branding, packaging, traceability, and customer outreach.
In the coming period, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade will continue to expand the "hands-on" training model, while strengthening coordination with major e-commerce platforms to organize more thematic livestream sessions and build a team of content creators to promote local agricultural products.
From a festival celebrating fruit, Dong Thap has sent a powerful message about its aspiration to build a modern, green, and digitized agricultural sector. Today's farmers not only know how to plant and cultivate fruit, but also know how to use technology to access the market.
The image of farmers confidently appearing on live streams is vivid evidence of the transformation of local agriculture in the digital age.
The festival has ended, but the journey to bring the "sweet fruits of Dong Thap" to a wider audience continues. On digital platforms, the story of our homeland's agricultural products will be spread even more widely, opening up many new opportunities for farmers and the province's fruit industry in the future.
LY OANH - DT
Source: https://baodongthap.vn/dua-trai-ngot-len-nen-tang-so-a241982.html
