Son La mangoes set foot in demanding markets

The northern mountainous province of Son La has so far exported 5,020 tonnes of mangoes to fastidious markets of the US, Australia, the UK and China in its mango crop of 2019.

Local farmers harvest mangoes at Chieng Hac cooperative

Yen Chau district, the main mango cultivation hub of Son La, shipped 3 tonnes of its mangoes to the UK market on June 19. This is the second mango shipment to the UK, raising the total volume of Yen Chau mangoes exported to the European country by air to 9 tonnes.

In addition, the province has exported 1.5 tonnes of Yen Chau mangoes to Australia and 7.5 tonnes of mangoes to the US this crop.

In particular, the province has shipped nearly 5,000 tonnes of local mangoes to the Chinese market. Fastidious markets including the US, Australia, the UK, and China highly appreciate Son La mangoes and have pledged sustainable consumption of the fruit during this year.

Son La province has about 15,700ha of mangoes in 2019 with an estimated output of approximately 35,500 tonnes, including 7,500 tonnes eligible for export.

Mango products of Son La are evaluated to have excellent quality and specific characteristics in regards to their shape and flavour. In addition, the quality of the local mangoes in 2019 is considered to be higher than that of previous years thanks to the application of science and advanced technology of local farmers in cultivation. The current price of mangoes is also 30-50% higher than that in 2018.

To be eligible for export to the UK market, Son La mangoes must meet a variety of strict regulations including a clean cultivation process without the use of herbicides or stimulants.

The mango fruit must be granted with area codes and wrapped in specialised bags. In addition, the fruit must look bright without any injection of pests and have an average weight of 1kg each.

After being harvested, mangoes will be sorted, cleaned, packed and stored in cold storehouses and then be packed in refrigerated containers and transported by air to foreign markets.

The family of Nguyen Ngoc Thuan in Chieng Hac commune, Yen Chau district has 2ha of mangoes which has brought about a stable income for Thuan’s family. Thuan said that this crop, his family selected nearly 2 tonnes of high quality mangoes to export to the UK with a price of VND25,000 per kg.

Ha Van Son, director of Chieng Hac agricultural cooperative in Yen Chau district, said that the cooperative is growing over 14ha of mangoes under VietGap standards with an estimated output of more than 200 tonnes for export.

However, to be eligible for export to the UK market, local mangoes must meet more stringent standards besides VietGap standards, including having an area code and being wrapped in specialised bags, Son noted.

He added that the cooperative has gradually shifted to producing mangoes according to the standards of demanding countries to boost exports of the fruit. In June 2019 alone, 7 tonnes of mangoes produced by the cooperative was selected to ship to the UK exclusively , Son said.

Director of Son La Province Plant Protection Department, Duong Gia Dinh, said that the province’s agricultural sector has directed its relevant agencies in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to study import requirements of more countries to promote the exports of the local mangoes. At the same time, the department will instruct and assist local farmers in handling relevant procedures to facilitate their production and export of mangoes.

Thanks to the policy of encouraging the planting of fruit trees on sloping land, hundreds of Son La farmers and cooperatives have raised their income through mango planting, with an annual income from hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong to tens of billions of Vietnamese dong. In addition to domestic consumption, Son La mangoes have been exported to foreign countries, opening a new avenue of business that can increase income for local farmers.