Tien Giang Fruit Festival 2024 to honor specialty fruits

Preliminary assessment of the production and consumption situation as well as the potential and advantages of fruits of Tien Giang province compared to other provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region; especially, on the occasion of Tien Giang preparing to organize the Fruit Festival in 2024, Mr. Luu Van Phi, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade said:

Mr. Luu Van Phi, Director of Department of Industry and Trade.

In recent times, the production and consumption of fruits in Tien Giang province have had many positive changes, with a shift from agricultural production thinking to agricultural economic development. With the advantage of stretching about 120 km along the North bank of Tien River, a branch of the Mekong River, compared to other provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region, Tien Giang has advantages in climate, land and fresh water resources to develop fruit orchards and up to now, Tien Giang is the province with the largest fruit growing area in the country with more than 84 thousand hectares by 2023, annually producing over 1.8 million tons of various fruits. Among them, there are some specialty fruits such as: Hoa Loc mango, Co Co pomelo, Cai Lay durian, Tan Phuoc pineapple, Cho Gao dragon fruit... In the province, many areas have been established to produce specialty fruit trees according to GAP standards on a large scale, meeting both domestic consumption and export needs.

In 2023, according to data from the Provincial Statistics Office, Tien Giang province exported over 23,865 tons of fruits of all kinds, reaching 45.7 million USD. However, according to experts, the actual export value of fruits of the province is 10 times higher than the statistics, the reason is that enterprises and cooperatives export on consignment through enterprises outside the province or through unofficial channels, without full declaration. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, the province exported 7,100 tons of fruits, with a turnover of 13.41 million USD, an increase of nearly 60% in volume and more than 62% in value. Regarding the market, the province's fruit and vegetable products, from fresh to processed, especially fruits, have been exported to foreign markets, typically China, the US, Canada, the EU, Australia, Japan, Korea, India, the Middle East, Africa... have created impressive results for the fruit and vegetable industry in recent years, contributing positively to the total export turnover of agricultural products of the whole country.

* Reporter (PV): What are the advantages and difficulties in the recent fruit consumption, including the difficulties in attracting investment related to the fruit production and consumption industry of Tien Giang province, sir?

* Mr. Luu Van Phi: As mentioned above, the advantage is that in terms of awareness and thinking, there has been a change from agricultural production thinking to agricultural economic development; gardeners have gradually paid attention to the market, the season associated with output prices; spent time and money to build brands, geographical indications, build factories, invest in advanced machinery and equipment; actively participate in the production - processing - consumption chain and modern trade system; pay attention to connecting with foreign partners... Regarding input services for production, there have also been positive changes from the stage of technical guidance for production, to materials, fertilizers, equipment for harvesting, packaging, transportation...; Combined with the system of technical facilities, financial services, telecommunications, social networks, etc., which are increasingly upgraded, expanded, diversified, and convenient, contributing to helping people and businesses save costs and have more resources to develop production and marketing, and consume products. In terms of policy mechanisms, the Government, central ministries, branches, and local authorities have had comprehensive, timely, and strict direction to create favorable conditions for both producers and businesses to improve production and business capacity. Trade promotion activities at home and abroad have had positive changes, contributing to promoting and introducing our country's fruits to consumers around the world. In addition, the guidance on registration, inspection and supervision of fruit growing area codes for export has been strengthened in accordance with regulations to promote changes in farmers' production practices, gradually focusing on applying comprehensive management measures to contribute to creating safe products, enhancing competitive value and protecting the environment in the face of increasingly complex climate change.

However, currently, some households and production enterprises do not comply with regulations: Pesticide residues are too high, using banned substances in cultivation, cheating on growing area codes... The transfer of scientific and technical advances, market information, brand building, and geographical indications faces many difficulties due to the lack of agencies and units to act as focal points. People's production practices are still small-scale, and there is no cooperation in production and consumption of products. Cold storage has not met the preservation needs when fruit prices drop during the concentrated harvest season. Products are mainly sold fresh and are heavily dependent on the Chinese consumer market. In addition, state management is still difficult due to the lack of statistics on consumption; export units have not coordinated well in providing data on export turnover; the sequence and procedures for granting growing area codes and packaging codes are still slow.

Durian harvest in Tien Giang province.

* Reporter: What are the goals and expectations of Tien Giang province through the upcoming Fruit Festival organized by the province, sir?

* Mr. Luu Van Phi: The upcoming fruit festival organized by Tien Giang province aims to honor the specialty fruits of Tien Giang province, the Mekong Delta region and the whole country; promote the promotion, introduction and consumption of specialty fruits in the domestic and export markets, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of Tien Giang province, provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region and the whole country. Build and honor the image of the unique fruit industry of Vietnam, thereby promoting the beautiful image of Tien Giang, provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region in particular and the whole country in general, in order to promote trade, investment and tourism.

In addition, the Fruit Festival also contributes to orienting consumers on issues of food safety and hygiene, quality, origin and nutrition of Vietnamese fruits; creating conditions for connection between actors in the Vietnamese fruit industry ecosystem (producers, businesses, state management agencies, scientists, credit - banking systems and logistics service providers).

* Reporter: So, what is the solution to promote fruit consumption in Tien Giang province in the coming time, sir?

* Mr. Luu Van Phi: In the coming time, people, businesses, cooperatives and state management agencies need to pay attention to implementing well the following 5 basic solutions:

First, people and businesses must continue to improve their capacity by complying with regulations, keeping their reputation, and cooperating and linking sincerely with each other in the product supply chain.

Second, on the State side, continue to create timely and effective mechanisms and policies from reforming administrative procedures to providing capital, supporting the transfer of scientific and technological advances, building brands, growing area codes, processing and packaging facilities, promoting trade, cutting logistics costs, etc. Along with that, it is necessary to promote public investment, promptly and resolutely and effectively implement tasks and solutions to remove difficulties for production and business, etc. Continue to support enterprises from the Industrial Promotion Fund to upgrade and expand factories and innovate equipment for production and processing for export.

Third, research and provide technical guidance on cultivation and breeding; support entities in the chain to improve the quality of the province's specialty fruit products, from planning large-scale growing areas to producing seedlings, applying science and technology in cultivation, harvesting, packaging, preservation, transportation, etc. to improve product quality; continue to carry out consumption connection activities, forming value chains inside and outside the province to meet the needs of the domestic and export markets; guide businesses and cooperatives to register for trademark protection, gradually building the province's product brands domestically and internationally.

Fourth, businesses need to research and effectively utilize tariff incentives from free trade agreements; closely connect with the system of Vietnamese trade agencies abroad and foreign business associations in Vietnam to promote and introduce the superiority of Vietnamese fruits to foreign consumers.

Fifth, every year, Tien Giang province should continue to organize events to promote the province's fruits such as the Tien Giang Fruit Festival 2024 to build and honor the image of Vietnamese fruits, thereby promoting the beautiful image of Tien Giang, the provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta in particular and Vietnam in general, to promote trade, investment and tourism. At the same time, orient consumers on issues of food safety and hygiene, quality, origin and nutrition of Vietnamese fruits. Create conditions for connection between actors in the ecosystem of the Vietnamese fruit industry (producers, enterprises, state management agencies, scientists, credit - banking systems and logistics service providers).

* Reporter: Thank you!

The Anh (performed)

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