In the context of the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic, trade promotion activities for agricultural products, including oranges and pomelos, have been promoted to assist producers in finding markets and consuming products.
 

Farmer in Dong Thanh commune (Kim Dong) harvests citrus fruit

Kim Dong district currently has over 700ha of oranges and pomelos of all kinds. This year, the output of the whole district is estimated at 8,700 tons of oranges, 5,800 tons of pomelos. In order to support people to consume citrus fruit products during the complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic, the district actively contacted and coordinated with functional sectors to synchronously implement many solutions, such as: Organize product consumption connection conference; create conditions for cooperatives and gardeners to attend conferences on promotion of agricultural product consumption organized by the province; increase product consumption through traders at wholesale markets inside and outside the province; coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade to bring products into the system of supermarkets and food safety stores; connecting with e-commerce platforms to bring oranges and pomelos to consumers fastest with 3 criteria: Quality, food safety and epidemic prevention and control...

In recent years, Dong Thanh commune (Kim Dong district) is a locality with a large area of citrus fruit growing in the province. The whole commune has over 200ha of oranges and pomelos, of which 30ha of the Cooperative for producing vegetables, fruits and commercial services in Dong Thanh commune is certified to meet VietGAP standards. Orange farmers in the commune start the harvest from the end of October and last until the Lunar New Year. Luong Van Tuoi, the owner of a garden of oranges and pomelos grown according to VietGAP standards in Thanh Sam village said: “My family grows 2 ha of Hung Yen oranges, Canh sugar oranges and Dien pomelos. Although the orange harvest is only at the end of November, from the beginning of the season, we have connected with partners, traders... to find output for our fruits. Especially, this year, with the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic, the district and functional sectors have actively supported farmers to add sales channels on the e-commerce platforms. I hope that the sale will be favorable and the price will be the same as in previous years.”

Tan Dan commune (Khoai Chau district) currently has over 80ha of oranges and pomelos, of which nearly 30ha have been certified to meet VietGAP standards. Nguyen Huu Ha, Director of Phu Quy Agricultural Cooperative, Bai Say 1 village said: "Our Cooperative currently has 13.5ha of oranges and pomelos of all kinds. In this season, it is predicted to harvest 80 tons of oranges and 20 tons of green-skinned pomelos. At this time, we have been harvested Hung Yen oranges with the price at VND 20,000/kg; green skin pomelo is at VND 30,000/kg. To ensure favorable consumption of orange and pomelo, we have contacted our partners to put the products on sale at a number of food safety chain stores inside and outside the province. In particular, unlike every year, this year we also retail products through social networking sites such as Facebook, Zalo. When customers order online, we will harvest, pack the products and then ship them to the required address…”.

Over the years, in order to assist farmers who grow safe fruit trees and meet the market's standards, the province has supported to build trademarks, collective marks, and issue the planting area codes for groups of fruit tree category in general, including citrus fruit trees... Along with that, every year, the province focuses on promoting the consumption of citrus fruit products, contributing to find stable output for these products. In 2020, the province has organized wide range events for dissemination, introduction and promotion of Hung Yen orange consumption, such as: Hung Yen Orange Market held in Ecopark urban area (Van Giang district); cultural exchange events, tourism introduction and promotion - Oranges and agricultural products of Hung Yen province at the Hoan Kiem lake walking street held in Hanoi; Week of oranges - Hung Yen agricultural products at Ha Dong Mega Market (Hanoi); Hung Yen Orange and Agricultural Products Week in Hanoi 2020. In addition, functional sectors also assist cooperatives and growers to participate in many agricultural trade promotion events organized by central ministries and branches and coordinate to participate in fairs and exhibitions of agricultural products in provinces and cities throughout the country. 

According to statistics of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, in 2021, the whole province will have over 4.2 thousand hectares of citrus fruit trees (of which, over 1,000 hectares of citrus trees under VietGAP process) bearing about 65 thousand tons, mainly Hung Yen orange, V2 orange, Canh sugar orange, Phu Dien pomelo, green-skinned pomelo, Hoang Trach pomelo... This year, the Covid-19 pandemic breaks out in numerous areas nationwide negatively affecting the production, purchasing, transportation and consumption of agricultural products, including oranges, pomelos, etc. According to information from the Department of Industry and Trade, iin order that this harvesting season is convenient and effective, the Department is actively deploying activities to promote consumption for farmers. According to the plan, an array of activities will be held such as: Hung Yen orange market in Ecopark urban area (Van Giang district); Hung Yen orange and agricultural products 2021 in Hanoi city. Along with that, the department promotes the consumption of agricultural products through the e-commerce platform; maintaining sales channels through a chain of safe food stores and supermarkets; create a supply-demand connection among businesses and cooperatives, gardeners... Thereby in order to strengthen the promotion so that the consumption of orange and pomelo products in the province is more favorable.

By Huong Giang