The cooperative's oranges are twice as expensive as the market price.

In Phu Tho province, thanks to proper pest control and investment in post-harvest processing, 3T Farm Cooperative (formerly Cao Phong, Hoa Binh province) sells oranges at double the market price.

Once the orange capital of the former Hoa Binh province, orange farmers in Cao Phong district have struggled due to pests and diseases, especially fungal and bacterial diseases such as yellowing leaves, root rot, and citrus greening. Despite this, there are bright spots like the 3T Farm Cooperative. They have not only overcome pest and disease problems but also increased the value of their oranges and diversified their product range.

The orange trees of 3T Farm Cooperative are laden with fruit before the 2025 harvest. Photo: Tung Dinh.

From around 2014, Cao Phong oranges experienced a bumper crop, with prices reaching 20,000 VND/kg. Traders bought entire orchards at the same price without needing to select the fruit. However, due to rapid expansion of cultivation, oversupply, and the emergence of various diseases, Cao Phong oranges have seen a price drop, falling to only half of their peak price.

In 2016, Ms. Vu Thi Le Thuy, Director of 3T Farm Cooperative (formerly Cao Phong district), decided to establish a production group, coordinating with the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Hoa Binh province to train on cultivation processes that ensure plant health, pest control, and food safety. "We apply biological methods, using light traps to catch moths and fruit flies to control pests, reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers," Ms. Thuy said.

Ms. Vu Thi Le Thuy, Director of 3T Farm Cooperative, inspects her orange orchard. Photo: Tung Dinh.

In 2028, she and several families in the area established a cooperative with 7 members. To date, the number of members has increased to 15, with a total orange cultivation area of ​​approximately 20 hectares. Thanks to focused investment, adherence to production processes, and proper pest control, the cooperative's orange prices have gradually stabilized and increased year by year, even during periods when Cao Phong oranges experienced price drops. In 2024, the average market price for oranges was only about 20,000 VND/kg, while the cooperative's selling price reached 45,000 VND/kg.

With an area of ​​20 hectares, 3T Farm Cooperative produces approximately 200 tons of oranges per year. The cooperative's oranges have been produced according to VietGAP standards for many years and were recognized as a 4-star OCOP product in 2020. The cooperative also invests in post-harvest processing. While in typical orange orchards each worker cuts 2-4 quintals of oranges per day and immediately puts them into containers for sale, at 3T Farm, the oranges are carefully selected.

Moth traps using lights at 3T Farm Cooperative. Photo: Tung Dinh.

“After harvesting from the tree, we have to cut close to the stem, select by size, and then put them in an ozone sterilizer. Before sterilizing, workers will check and remove any fruit damaged by fruit flies, ensuring there is no risk of spoilage during transportation. Thanks to adhering to pest control procedures as recommended by the authorities, along with investment in processing, our oranges, despite their high price, are still selling well,” Ms. Thuy shared.

To further enhance product value and expand the market, 3T Farm Cooperative is implementing an electronic farming log system. Ms. Thuy and the members are also organizing training and research on farming processes to meet Halal market standards. The cooperative is also researching and diversifying processed orange products.

Fruit fly traps are hung on orange trees at 3T Farm Cooperative. Photo: Tung Dinh.

Besides fresh oranges, 3T Farm Cooperative is also producing processed orange products such as orange jam and pure orange powder. These processed products best preserve the color and distinctive flavor of Cao Phong oranges.

The cooperative has invested in a modern machinery system for processing in a closed-loop process instead of the previous manual method, including a cold drying system and a vacuum concentrating machine. With the vacuum concentrating system, the orange jam product is concentrated at a temperature of 40-60 degrees Celsius. The final product, when packaged in jars, will retain its characteristic color and flavor. The cooperative's processed orange products are good for health and carry the message "Good soil - Good seeds - Good from the heart".

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/htx-co-cam-dat-gap-doi-thi-truong-d780621.html