Elevating the brand of Bac Lieu longan.

More than just a specialty fruit associated with the coastal delta region, Bac Lieu longan also carries the livelihoods, farming experience, and pride of the local people. The journey to establish geographical indication for longan is opening up expectations for elevating the brand through scientific foundations, aiming for sustainable development and increasing the value of local agricultural products.

• Providing over 2,000 longan saplings to households in Hiep Thanh, Vinh Trach, and Vinh Trach Dong communes.
• Bac Lieu City: Support provided for planting 1,800 longan saplings for local people.
• Bac Lieu City: Inspecting irrigation and developing longan cultivation.
• Towards protecting the geographical indication of Bac Lieu longan

Establish a scientific basis

In recent years, Bac Lieu longan has gradually asserted its position thanks to its distinctive flavor. The longan fruit has a sweet, refreshing taste, thick flesh, and a light aroma, adapting well to the sunny and windy coastal region. However, for this specialty fruit to have a more solid foothold in the market, building a brand and establishing geographical indications is an urgent requirement.

Although longan is grown in many other provinces and cities, the longan from Bac Lieu still boasts the best quality.

In Hiep Thanh ward, the Department of Science and Technology of Ca Mau province, in collaboration with Can Tho University, recently organized a workshop to summarize the research project "Studying the characteristics of varieties, adaptability, and enhancing the value of Bac Lieu longan fruit." After two years of implementation, the project surveyed the growing area, analyzed the genetic characteristics, soil conditions, climate, and adaptability of longan trees in the locality.

This is considered an important step in establishing a scientific basis for establishing geographical indications for local specialty products. At the same time, the research results also contribute to standardizing cultivation processes, improving yield and fruit quality, and expanding consumer markets.

According to scientists, the unique natural conditions of the coastal region are what make Bac Lieu longan different. This is not only due to climate and soil factors, but also the accumulated cultivation experience of the people over many years of working with this fruit tree.

Officials from the Farmers' Association of Hiep Thanh ward visited the longan orchard of Mr. Tran Le Khanh Vu's family.

The family of Mr. Tran Le Khanh Vu, residing in Bien Dong B hamlet, Hiep Thanh ward, has been cultivating longan trees for nearly a decade. Currently, his family owns approximately 300 longan trees on an area of ​​about 15,000 ^m² ; they harvest one crop per year with a stable yield of 10-12 tons/year. From relying on traditional methods, they have now adopted improved, more scientific farming practices.

Mr. Vu shared that longan is very suitable for the coastal alluvial soil, and the fruit quality is much better than in many other places, so his family continues to expand the cultivated area. For farmers, having a branded product with geographical indication also means more opportunities to increase income, increase the value of agricultural products, and stabilize output.

Partnering to elevate your brand.

Beyond theoretical research, the project also directly transfers many technical solutions to the people, such as nutrient management, soil improvement, plant care, and post-harvest preservation.

Mr. Quach Van Chinh, a farmer growing longan (Bien Tay B hamlet, Hiep Thanh ward), said: "Through research by Can Tho University, farmers have gained more knowledge about nutrition for longan trees, thereby having the conditions to improve yield and fruit quality."

From scientific data on genetics and soil to practical cultivation processes, the project is gradually laying an important foundation for the locality to move towards protecting the geographical indication "Thanh Nhan Bac Lieu".

Delegates and longan farmers discussed land management solutions to improve the quality and yield of longan, as well as preservation and storage processes.

Associate Professor Chau Minh Khoi, Vice Rector of the School of Agriculture, Can Tho University, commented: “Research results show that Bac Lieu longan has unique characteristics formed from genetic factors and the specific soil conditions of the growing region. This is an important basis to demonstrate the product's distinctiveness compared to other localities.”

According to him, the process of establishing geographical indications requires not only research results from laboratories but also close ties to production practices. Therefore, opinions from the people – those directly involved in cultivation – are valuable data for further refining the scientific basis for the product.

Farmers in Hiep Thanh ward are harvesting longan fruit.

From coastal longan orchards to research laboratories, the journey of building a brand for Bac Lieu longan demonstrates the close collaboration between scientists, managers, and farmers. As the scientific foundation gradually improves, expectations for a sustainable longan growing region with geographical indications and sufficient competitiveness in the market are becoming increasingly clear.

Establishing geographical indications not only enhances the commercial value of the product but also helps preserve the unique specialties of the southernmost coastal region of Vietnam; ensuring that each longan season is not just a season of sweet fruit but also a sustainable direction for local agriculture.

Kim Truc - Anh Tuan

Source: https://baocamau.vn/nang-tam-thuong-hieu-thanh-nhan-bac-lieu-a129191.html