Mango prices doubled, An Giang farmers made high profits

Photo caption — Cu Lao Gieng mangoes are carefully selected and cleaned before export (documentary photo).

Currently, green-skinned elephant mangoes are purchased by traders at the garden at 27,000 VND/kg, and small-seeded mangoes at 19,000 VND/kg, double the price of last year's crop. As for yellow-skinned elephant mangoes, due to the small planting area in Cu Lao Gieng commune; the output is only about 50 tons, so traders buy them for export at a record high price of up to 55,000 VND/kg. This is the highest price ever recorded for traders buying yellow-skinned elephant mangoes right at the garden in the commune.

Mr. Huynh Van Liep, Binh Phu Hamlet, Cu Lao Gieng Commune said that last year, the price of mangoes with small seeds purchased at the garden only fluctuated from 6,000 - 10,000 VND/kg, farmers could not sell enough to cover costs. This year, the price of mangoes with small seeds has increased sharply, everyone is excited because of the good harvest and good prices.

According to Mr. Liep, his family has 7 hectares (about 7,000 m2) of mango with small seeds. Thanks to the application of techniques for off-season flowering, proper care and timely fruit wrapping, the yield and quality of mango with small seeds this year are superior to last year. The mangoes are large, have bright skin, are sweet, and are purchased directly from the garden by traders. With 7 hectares of mango with small seeds, after deducting expenses, each hectare the family earns more than 20 million VND.

Mr. Nguyen Van An, a member of Cu Lao Gieng GAP Cooperative, said that his family grows 1 hectare of green-skinned mangoes, small-seeded mangoes and about 100 yellow-skinned mango trees. Thanks to automatic irrigation, fruit wrapping and organic care, the mangoes produce uniform, beautiful fruit and are purchased by traders at high prices. After deducting all expenses, 1 hectare of mangoes gives a profit of about 250 - 300 million VND.

Director of Cu Lao Gieng GAP Cooperative, An Giang province, Mr. Nguyen Minh Hien said that Cu Lao Gieng GAP Cooperative currently has 51 official members and 243 associate members, producing more than 500 hectares of green-skinned mangoes and small-seeded mangoes. Since the beginning of the year, the cooperative has exported about 500 tons of mangoes to the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia and China.

“The price of mangoes has increased this year due to a sharp increase in export orders, so mango growers are very excited. On average, each hectare of mangoes makes a profit of about 20-25 million VND. Currently, the mango growing area of the cooperative is producing according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards and has a code to help the cooperative sign contracts to sell mangoes to farmers stably, no longer the situation of a good harvest but low prices like before,” said Mr. Hien.

Currently, Cu Lao Gieng GAP Cooperative is actively coordinating with An Giang agricultural sector to implement digital transformation in growing area management, traceability by QR code and develop the "Cu Lao Gieng Mango" brand for export. Along with that, Cu Lao Gieng GAP Cooperative is also actively training farmers on techniques for off-season flowering, pest control and processing and packaging according to international standards.

Secretary of the Party Committee of Cu Lao Gieng Commune, Mr. Vo Minh Nang said that the commune is located in the middle of the Tien River, with fertile alluvial soil and a mild climate, very suitable for mango trees. Currently, Cu Lao Gieng is the largest mango growing area in An Giang province, with nearly 4,200 hectares of mango trees, accounting for 98.5% of the fruit growing area. Cu Lao Gieng mangoes are considered to have outstanding quality, with a yield of 18-25 tons/ha/year, with two harvests per year.

According to Mr. Nang, mango is the commune's main agricultural export product, bringing high economic value to the people. Farmers harvest two crops each year, with an average yield of 18-25 tons/ha. The locality is supporting people to expand the safe production area, aiming for green, organic agriculture associated with eco-tourism development.

Currently, the entire Cu Lao Gieng commune has 32 mango growing area codes granted with a total area of 2,944 hectares; of which, more than 735 hectares are VietGAP certified and nearly 50 hectares are GlobalGAP certified. Cu Lao Gieng mango has exported thousands of tons, conquering high-demand markets such as China, the US, Korea, Australia, New Zealand... contributing to increasing the economic value and income for farmers in the commune.