Farmers concerned about durian consumption due to pandemic

Khanh Son District’s authority in Khanh Hoa Province has proposed building a plan and create favourable conditions for vehicles purchasing and transporting locally-grown durians to the markets.

According to durian growers in Khanh Son District, durian has a bumper crop this year but they are worried about the output due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: BL.

Khanh Son District’s authority in Khanh Hoa Province has proposed building a plan and create favourable conditions for vehicles purchasing and transporting locally-grown durians to the markets.

Bumper crop

Farmers in the mountainous district of Khanh Son these days are preparing for the harvest season of durian, the main crop of which is expected to begin from the end of July 2021.

According to durian growers in Khanh Son District, the crop of the fruit this year has had both high quality and quantity thanks to favourable weather conditions with scattered rain since March and farmers’ own efforts.

However, the social distancing measures implemented in Khanh Hoa Province following the complicated situation of the Covid-19 pandemic across the country have made the farmers seriously concerned about the consumption of durian.

Nguyen, a durian grower in Son Binh Commune, said that this year’s crop is better than previous years and the productivity of the orchards has increased by 10-20% compared to last year.

His durian orchard is about 21 hectares (including newly planted and harvested, plus intercropped with many types of pomelo, rambutan, mangosteen...), expected to produce over 250 tons, an increase of more than 20% compared to the year last.

However, in the context of the complicated situation of the pandemic, his family has not yet harvested the durian and been uncertain about the consumption.

Not only Nguyen’s, other durian orchards in Son Binh Commune have almost had a good season with high yields, reaching an average of over 10 tons/ha. In particular, durian orchards from 10-12 years-old could yield up to 19-20 tons/ha if well cared for.

But most Khanh Son durian growers are worried about the consumption issue when the harvest season of durian is approaching. Le Anh Quang, from Son Binh Commune said that traders across the country should flock to Khanh Son District at this time of the year to negotiate and finalize the price of durian with the farmers.

However, the number of traders from the southern provinces travelling to the district to buy durian is reduced this year. Currently, locals in Khanh Son District have become “satellites” of the traders, coming to the orchards to negotiate the sale and purchase, but the quantity is not much.

Besides, according to durian growers, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the purchase price is initially lower than usual. Specifically, the average price of Ri6 durian is only 35,000 VND/kg, while every year it is about 40,000 VND/kg, and Moong Thoong durian is priced at only 45,000 VND/kg, while every year it was priced at 50,000 VND/kg.

Create favourable conditions for traders

Nguyen Van Nhuan, Chairman of Khanh Son District People's Committee confirmed that this year’s durian crop in the area has higher productivity and quality than the previous years.

The whole district has over 1,500 ha of durian, of which about 750 ha is in the business period and the output is expected to reach about 6,000 tons, an increase of 1,000 tons compared to last year.

Though durian is in good season, farmers in the district are worried that the complicated disease situation will make it difficult for consumption, especially when durian is about to enter the full harvest in about half a month.

According to Nhuan, the local authority has recommended that durian growers soon fix the selling price and make sales contracts with collectors for early consumption of the agricultural products in the immediate future.

In addition, the district has also directed the People's Committees of communes and towns to encourage durian growers to actively contact former traders to seek outputs.

However, the purchase and sale must strictly comply with measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic according to Directive 15 of the Prime Minister under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee to ensure the durian area is safe from disease.

According to Nhuan, Khanh Son District has also actively built plans and proposed measures to Khanh Hoa Province to support local farmers’ consumption of durian in this year’s crop.

In the immediate future, the district will encourage and call on supermarkets, businesses and people in the province to support Khanh Son durian consumption

Additionally, in such a context, the District People's Committee will continue to call on enterprises and fruit business establishments inside and outside the province to cooperate with cooperatives, cooperative groups and associations of growers in the area to support consumption of the agricultural product for locals.

As soon as the pandemic is under control, Khanh Son District People's Committee will organize Khanh Son Farmers Market in August to help farmers introduce high-quality fruits to the markets and connect local typical agricultural products to consumers both inside and outside the province, thereby helping farmers to consume agricultural products.