Ready to go to the "digital market"
When lychee starts to show its value, it is also the time when “digital farmers” in Thanh Ha (Hai Duong) are busy finding ways to sell their lychees. Unlike the familiar image of crowded wholesale markets, this year, many farming households do not have to rush to the market early. Instead, they are busy checking orders on social networking platforms to proactively deliver goods to customers.
Mr. Pham Van Kien in Thanh Tan commune said that in previous years, he saw his parents picking lychees to sell at the market, struggling and sometimes very difficult to sell. At the market, prices fluctuated by the hour, so he was at a disadvantage. He used Facebook to advertise and sell lychees. He chose lychees with beautiful fruit, livestreamed on Facebook, and connected with lychee sellers all over the country.
Since the beginning of the season, Mr. Kien has sold nearly 1 ton of lychee on social networks. For buyers from far away places like Quang Ninh and Hai Phong , he carefully packs them in boxes with stamps and labels and sends them by bus, while for those who live nearby, he ships them himself. “When selling lychee online, buyers usually cannot see or inspect it directly, so I have to say the right thing and do exactly as I advertise to maintain my reputation for the following years. After many years, I have a stable number of customers from the South and the North,” Mr. Kien said.
Many lychee growers in communes such as Thanh Quang, Vinh Cuong, Thanh Son... are also gradually "digitalizing" agricultural product consumption. They no longer rely solely on traditional traders but are more proactive in approaching consumers through digital platforms such as Zalo, Facebook, TikTok and many e-commerce platforms.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, Director of Thanh Quang Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative, said that during the lychee season, cooperative members proactively post their products on social networks. Each year, the cooperative receives 4-5 export orders. Although not many, this has gradually changed the production and business thinking of Thanh Ha lychee growers.
“Previously, we only sold to Chinese traders, but now we learn to livestream, take product photos, and connect with customers online. Lychee growing areas that meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards are given QR codes to trace their origins right in the garden, making it convenient for customers to buy online,” said Mr. Hien.
Open export route
Last May, Thanh Ha district coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Department of Industry and Trade to organize the event "Hai Duong litchi season" and held a conference to promote the consumption of Thanh Ha litchi.
At the conference, the units connected online with many trade counselors and businesses in Japan, Singapore, the US... to bring Thanh Ha litchi to international friends. Ms. Nguyen Khanh Ly, Director of Senkyu Co., Ltd. (Ho Chi Minh City) said that the company specializes in importing agricultural products to Japan. The company wants to promote the good quality of Thanh Ha litchi to international friends so that they know about this wonderful agricultural product. Through a number of reputable businesses with experience in purchasing and processing in Vietnam, the company will bring Thanh Ha litchi to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and some further areas such as Hokkaido".
Mr. Nguyen Khac Tien, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ameii Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said that thanks to digital connections, this year the overseas consumption market for Thanh Ha litchi has expanded more than in previous years. In addition to Japan, the US, and Singapore, the company has brought Thanh Ha litchi to many Middle Eastern countries. “We have signed official export contracts to Japan and some Middle Eastern countries. All shipments are managed by an electronic system, from packaging, preservation to delivery. Partners can scan the QR code to check the production process at any time.”
To do that, the company has invested in cold storage, packaging machines, traceability management software and digital skills training for its staff. The company also cooperates with international logistics units to ensure shipping standards.
According to Chairman of Thanh Ha District People's Committee Tang Ba Bay, digital connections have gradually helped people change their production thinking. Previously, farmers only cared about big and beautiful fruits, but now they understand that to sell products online, they must be clean, have a clear origin and have promotional images. This is an inevitable trend to bring agricultural products further.
Thanh Ha aims not only to do well in this year’s crop, but also to build a long-term foundation for Thanh Ha lychees to maintain their domestic market share and expand steadily internationally. To do so, each lychee grower, business and locality must actively participate in the digitalization process.
Thanh Ha district currently has about 3,200 hectares of lychee, this year harvesting about 38,000 tons. About 20% of lychee output is consumed through e-commerce platforms and digital connection channels.
Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/ket-noi-so-mo-rong-thi-truong-tieu-thu-vai-thieu-thanh-ha-413570.html
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