Preserving the Tan Lac red pomelo brand.

Tan Lac commune in Phu Tho province is blessed with an ideal climate and soil for fruit tree cultivation. Red pomelo is a crop that has become and continues to be a symbol of Tan Lac's agricultural economic development.

Packaging Tan Lac red pomelos in bags before export.

However, given the increasing demands and competition from the market, red pomelo growers here need a new direction to protect and sustainably maintain their brand.

Tan Lac currently has over 80% of its area covered by hills and mountains, with an average altitude of 300 to 400 meters above sea level. The soil here is thick, loose, rich in nutrients, has good drainage, and experiences a large temperature difference between day and night. The Tan Lac region is blessed by nature for growing red pomelos. These unique natural conditions have resulted in pomelos with reddish-pink segments, juicy, easy-to-separate flesh, a mild, refreshing sweetness, and no bitterness, giving them a distinctive flavor.

Since 2010, red pomelos have been widely cultivated and developed across the hillsides, becoming a key crop that provides a stable source of income, helping many households escape poverty and improve their lives. A prime example of this was the brand building process in 2017, when Tan Lac red pomelos were recognized as a collective trademark by the Intellectual Property Office.

This not only affirms the quality but also opens the door for local specialties to reach a wider market. In 2022, the average harvest value from red pomelo trees reached approximately 194 million VND/ha, with some areas with intensive cultivation reaching nearly 300 million VND/ha.

However, the harsh realities of the market meant that the "golden age" of Tan Lac red pomelo did not last as long as expected. Especially in the last three years, the market has faced difficulties, and pomelo prices have continuously fallen. Low profits and uncertain outlets have discouraged many farmers, causing them to neglect their crops, and even cut down their red pomelo trees to switch to planting acacia trees. The entire pomelo growing area, with a total area of ​​over 1,000 hectares, once the most vibrant in the North, has fallen into hardship, with no market for the fruit...

According to those with long-standing experience in pomelo cultivation, the core issue lies not only in the market but also in production awareness. Once the brand is established, the only way for Tan Lac red pomelo to survive and develop sustainably is through clean production, strict adherence to technical procedures, and consistent quality. Over the years, cooperatives and production groups have persistently pursued this path, despite facing numerous difficulties in connecting with markets, participating in trade fairs, and finding stable outlets.

In 2022, the first shipment of Tan Lac red pomelos, totaling over 7 tons, was officially exported to the UK market. This shipment was produced, packaged, and transported by FUSA Organic Agriculture Joint Stock Company, a cooperative involved in the production, processing, and distribution of Tan Lac red pomelos.

Agricultural experts assess that Hoa Binh province (formerly) was the first locality in northern Vietnam to successfully export pomelos to demanding markets such as Europe and America. This is an important milestone, showing that Tan Lac red pomelos can completely conquer these demanding markets if they are produced and quality-controlled systematically, with the joint efforts and cooperation of farmers, cooperatives, and businesses, and the close attention of all levels of government.

Following the success of the aforementioned shipment, cooperatives and production groups such as Tan Phong, Tan Dong, Man Duc, Organic Hopefarm, and Tan Huong 1 have actively reorganized their production, closely monitored cultivation processes, and improved product quality. In 2023, Tan Lac red pomelos reached over 1,000 tons exported to the US, UK, EU, and New Zealand markets.

In 2024 and 2025, along with green-skinned pomelo, Tan Lac red pomelo will continue to arrive in the EU market. The above figures confirm that: If we persevere with the right direction, diligently follow the correct cultivation process, and ensure compliance with technical standards and quality, Tan Lac red pomelo can confidently enter demanding markets and be sold in large supermarkets abroad.

Comrade Pham Ngoc Tung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tan Lac commune, said: To ensure quality and maintain the brand of red pomelo, the commune advocates for promoting and encouraging people to invest in intensive cultivation, applying advanced scientific and technical methods to improve productivity and ensure the quality of red pomelo fruit. In addition, the commune is coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and Environment to assess and develop solutions to improve the quality of pomelo cultivation for farmers.

The locality has established a seedling nursery based on the preservation of the original Tan Lac pomelo variety, replacing the area of ​​degraded, low-quality pomelo trees. Tan Lac prioritizes the development of model orchards, product preservation and processing, protection of collective trademarks, and strives to obtain geographical indication protection for Tan Lac pomelo.

To ensure export standards, agricultural products need to have planting area codes, meet phytosanitary standards and traceability requirements, and guarantee quality and food safety. Tan Lac has actively promoted and supported people and cooperatives in devising the best solutions to ensure the quality and appearance of pomelos in order to preserve the brand.

However, to be even more effective, the locality urgently needs the support of departments and agencies to plan concentrated commodity production areas, apply science, technology and digital transformation, promote trade, encourage businesses to invest in deep processing; build safe production models according to international standards (GlobalGAP), smart agriculture, and apply high technology to create a large quantity of high-quality agricultural products that are competitive.

Preserving the Tan Lac red pomelo brand is not just about preserving an agricultural product, but also about preserving the livelihoods of the people, maintaining the reputation of a region, and, more broadly, preserving the strong link between economic development and the preservation of local culture.

With proper care continued for the red pomelo trees, the brand protected by quality, and close attention from government agencies, businesses, and farmers working together on the commercial path, Tan Lac red pomelos will surely reach even greater heights.

HAO THUY

Source: https://nhandan.vn/giu-thuong-hieu-buoi-do-tan-lac-post936040.html