Area of dragon fruit in Binh Thuan province is suddenly increased

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At the moment, dragon fruit is considered one of the specious agricultural produces which is preferred by domestic and international consumers.

Mr. Phan Van Thu – Vice Head of Agricultural Division – Department of Agriculture and Rural Development – Binh Thuan province said: “Dragon fruit plants are easily grown, even in rainfed, infertile soils. It takes 8 months to fruit, yield will be increased at 2 years after planting and fruit harvest is stably given from the 3rd year”. According to the data from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development – Binh Thuan province, area of dragon fruit in 2006 was approximately 7,000 ha of which 5,800 ha is for harvest with production of more than 120,000 tons.

Up to 2007, area of dragon fruit was increased to more than 9,000 ha, (7,000 ha of harvested dragon fruit, production of more than 130,000 tons). Up to July 2008, newly planted area of dragon fruit was 976 ha, increasing total area of dragon fruit in Binh Thuan province to 10,000 ha, meeting 100% of plan to 2010 (with harvested dragon fruit of 9,000ha, estimated production of 180,000 – 200,000 tons).

Area of dragon fruit has been “suddenly increased” in recent years due to: firstly, stable and increased prices of dragon fruit in domestic and international markets with expanded markets; secondly, climatic as well pest and disease situation on rice and other crops developed in complicated and unfavorable ways. Many farmers transformed 2 season paddy field or hilly land to grow dragon fruit, thirdly, dragon fruit is easily grown with high economic efficiency; specifically, for 1 ha of dragon fruit, VND 50 million is invested, the income of VND 120 million could be obtained with price of VND 5,000/kg. However, rapid increase of dragon fruit was not conformed to the provincial plan and instructions, which have led to difficulties in professional production, storage and commercial promotion of dragon fruit produces and no synchronous solutions, especially for clean dragon fruit production.

Presently, there are three enterprises producing clean dragon fruit with area of 121ha in the whole province (Hoang Hau Dragon Fruit Farm: 80 ha; Ham Minh Dragon Fruit Cooperative: 30 ha; Duy Lan Farm: 11 ha). 200 dragon fruit collecting, consuming and exporting units have been established, of which 11units have been involved in directly exporting dragon fruit to markets of Taiwan, Hongkong, Thailand, The Netherlands, etc …and the US, which is a good signal for Binh Thuan dragon fruit. In the first six months of 2008, 12,729.36 tons of dragon fruit were exported with turnover of USD 8.308 million, increasing by 11% compared with the same time last year.

In order to develop dragon fruit crops sustainably in trend of commodity production with large quantity, high quality, ensuring hygiene and food safety to meet domestic demand and export, the People Committee of Binh Thuan province approved a project on dragon fruit development in 2006-2010 in Binh Thuan province, that included establishment of concentrated material areas, investment in infrastructure, water resource system, transport system. When the above mentioned project is put into operation, Binh Thuan dragon fruit will be sustainably developed and really becomes a special produce of Binh Thuan province.