A cooperative in the southern province of Dong Nai will supply unlimited amounts of durians and rambutants to Japan’s Aeon supermarket chain in 2014.

This was agreed under a long-term contract recently signed between representatives from the Xuan Thanh agricultural service cooperative and the Aeon supermarket.

The Japanese side earlier embarked on a fact-finding tour to Dong Nai to study the local farming techniques and decided to purchase durians for 35,000-40,000 VND per kilogram and rambutans for 12,000-13,000 VND per kilogram, slightly higher than domestic market prices.

The contract will benefit over 150 local farmers who are expected to sell about 200 tonnes of Long Khanh-branded rambutans and durians to the Japanese importer, said head of the cooperative Pham Phu Quoc.

The cooperative’s two types of fruits have been verified by the National Office of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology since 2011.

Long Khanh town boasts the largest fruit cultivation area in Dong Nai with 3,000 hectares of rambutans and nearly 1,300 hectares of durians.

Last year, it harvested 12-15 tonnes of durians per hectare and 27 tonnes of rambutants per hectare.

Apart from supplying fruits to the Aeon supermarket chain, the commune plans to expand its market nationwide, Quoc added.-VNA