Vietnams exporters sell more fruit thanks to blockchain apps

Utilizing blockchain to improve the traceability of farm produce is expected to be a good solution to boost fruit exports.

Utilizing blockchain apps is a good solution to boost fruit exports

While many farmers have to throw unsold dragon fruit away, Hoang Phat Fruit and Yasaka Fruit Processing Company have been exporting dragon fruit at good prices to choosy markets such as Australia, the US, Japan and Europe.

The two companies use blockchain technology to help trace the origin of farm produce, thus gaining confidence from consumers.

“All the steps of dragon fruit production, from cultivation, harvesting to packaging, transportation and distribution, are traceable. Consumers know the ‘itinerary’ of dragon fruit until it is put on their dining table,” Pham Hoai Tam from Hoang Phat Fruit said.

Blockchain helps attract more customers because they can see transparency. It also is helpful to producers and suppliers because it helps cut management costs and unnecessary steps in the supply chain.

An Thai, a fruit export company, has also applied blockchain to supervise the supply chain, from producer to supplier to distributor and retailer. 

A representative of the company said that since the number of orders has increased by 10-15 percent.

He said that blockchain helps attract more customers because they can see transparency. It also is helpful to producers and suppliers because it helps cut management costs and unnecessary steps in the supply chain.

Robin Bednall from the Australian Embassy in Vietnam said Australian consumers now pay high attention to farm produce with such as organic products and traceable products. 

Blockchain can satisfy the requirement, and once applying the technology, Vietnam will be able to easily bring its farm produce to Australia, which requires high transparency but promises high added value.

Australian consumers can find information about dragon fruit, from the moment of harvest to arrival in Australia. 

Dao Duc Huan, director of the Agriculture Development Center, also advised Vietnamese producers and exporters to use blockchain, saying that this is the best way to approach the world market.

Vu Truong Ca, chair of Lina Network, the provider of blockchain app to An Thai Company, said blockchain can be applied to supply chains of seafood, coffee and drugs. These are production fields of consumers’ biggest concern as they have relations with human health.

Zoe Piper from Ethitrade International explained that enterprises can use data recorded by blockchain to analyze strong and weak points and adjust business strategies for optimal success. In the future, blockchain could be used as a factor to prove origin of products in a simple way.

In 2017, Vietnam exported $3.45 billion worth of vegetables and fruits, up by 40.5 percent over 2016.