Dak Lak (VNA) – The 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival opened in Buon Ma Thuot ward on August 15, aiming to promote the local durian brand, expand export markets and enhance the global reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products.
The festival, organised by the provincial People’s Committee, runs from August 15 to September 2 across Buon Ma Thuot ward, Krong Pac commune, Tuy Hoa ward and other durian-growing areas in the province. It is the first provincial-level durian festival held in Dak Lak.
The event features 17 activities, including a specialised durian exhibition, an investment and trade promotion forum, a durian food festival, farm tours, art performances, a photo exhibition, and a running competition.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Do Huu Huy said Dak Lak has about 41,000ha of durian, with this year’s output estimated at nearly 500,000 tonnes. The province has 280 growing-area codes covering around 7,500ha, along with 41 packing facilities approved for export. In 2025, Dak Lak’s durian sector contributed about 1.1 billion USD to the country’s export turnover.
Huy stressed that the province is shifting from managing agricultural output to managing agricultural value. Farmers should not simply sell durians, but quality, food safety, the story of the land and the reputation of the Dak Lak brand.
He called for the sector to focus on quality, standards, science and technology, value-chain linkages, deep processing and branding rather than pursuing production volume and acreage at all costs.
According to the official, quality must be ensured from the orchards. Growing-area codes should represent commitments to production processes, traceability, quality and responsibility. Production, harvesting, testing, processing, preservation, packaging and transport should be increasingly standardised and digitised.
The province will also strengthen links among farmers, cooperatives, businesses, processing and packing facilities, logistics providers, distributors and importers to build a professional and sustainable durian ecosystem.
Dak Lak is promoting digital transformation, e-commerce and digital communications, while working with content creators and other partners to showcase its land, farmers, production processes and product quality to international audiences, he added.
The festival is expected to help strengthen the position of Dak Lak durian as a flagship Vietnamese agricultural brand, attract investment in deep processing and logistics, expand exports and promote sustainable raw-material areas.
It also aims to develop the Durian Festival into a distinctive cultural and tourism event in the years ahead./.
VNA
