Elevating the status of seedless lemons.

With keen insight and a willingness to think outside the box, Mr. Le Van Nam (born in 1968), a member of the Board of Directors of My Long Agricultural Service Cooperative (My Hiep commune, Dong Thap province), along with other members, has applied a closed-loop production process for seedless lemons using organic methods, meeting GlobalGAP standards. As a result, their products have gained access to the European market, elevating the status of Cao Lanh lemons.

Mr. Le Van Nam shared: “The predecessor of the cooperative was the My Long Seedless Lemon Cooperative. In the beginning, the unit's production was quite fragmented, and products were only sold sporadically; members of the cooperative faced many difficulties from finding markets to standardizing production processes; no partner was willing to sign a contract because the supply volume did not meet the requirements.”

Mr. Le Van Nam regularly visits the farms to provide support to farmers.
Cultivating seedless lemons.

From there, the members discussed and sought ways to develop seedless lemons. Based on practical experience, we determined that producing lemons organically and moving towards a cooperative model is the inevitable trend.”

From there, Mr. Le Van Nam and the members of the My Long Seedless Lemon Cooperative decided to establish the My Long Agricultural Service Cooperative. With a determination to "do business together," Mr. Nam and the members of the My Long Agricultural Service Cooperative applied GlobalGAP standards to their cultivation and production processes, creating safe products that meet the needs of both domestic and international markets.

Accordingly, production following GlobalGAP standards results in lower yields but saves 20% - 30% in costs; the production process requires a separate warehouse for storing fertilizers and pesticides; and the use of fertilizer spraying equipment, protective gear, etc.

Currently, My Long Agricultural Service Cooperative has a specialized seedless lemon cultivation area of ​​nearly 100 hectares, of which 67 hectares have established stable sales links with businesses and supermarket chains and wholesale markets in the region.

The cooperative also applies digital technology to production and product traceability through QR codes, contributing to transparency in the process, enhancing value, and building consumer trust. Each year, the cooperative exports 180 tons to the Netherlands market.

To enhance product value, since 2023, the cooperative has applied the concentrated honey lemon juice processing technology from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; adopting concentration and heat preservation technology with modern machinery and equipment, helping to extract and concentrate lemon juice efficiently, retaining maximum vitamin C and bioactive compounds, while extending product shelf life without the need for harmful preservatives. This has transformed My Long Cooperative from a rudimentary production unit into a modern agricultural processing facility.

Mr. Le Van Nam introduces his concentrated lemon and honey juice product at trade promotion events.

Each month, the cooperative supplies the market with more than 2,500 bottles (200 ml) of concentrated lemon and honey juice.

Mr. Nam shared: “Since the launch of our concentrated honey lemon juice product, the value of seedless lemons has increased 4-5 times compared to selling them fresh. Achieving international certifications (HACCP, ISO) and domestic certifications (OCOP 4-star) is proof of the effectiveness of applying science and technology, paving the way for the potential export of processed products…”

Mr. Pham Van Niem, Deputy Director of My Long Agricultural Service Cooperative, shared: “Over the past time, Mr. Nam and the cooperative members have maintained a good closed-loop production system from planting and caring to processing and selling seedless lemons.”

By-products from processing will be utilized to produce organic fertilizers, which will both reduce costs and protect the environment.

As a result, the cooperative's lemon products meet the requirements of export businesses, expanding the market for its members.

In the future, the cooperative will make the most of the lemon peel by-products after squeezing out the juice to make lemon soap; apply ultrasonic technology to extract essential oils; and use them as fertilizer for the soil…”.

Recently, Mr. Le Van Nam's closed-loop production process for seedless My Long lemons won the Encouragement Award at the 11th Green Startup Project Competition 2025, jointly organized by the Business Research and Support Center (BSA), the Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods Enterprises, and the Ho Chi Minh City Innovation and Startup Center (SIHUB).

NAM PHONG

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/nang-tam-trai-chanh-khong-hat-a233898.html