Processing dragon fruit for export at a factory in Dong nai (Photo: VNA)
Dong Nai, (VNA) – The southern province of Dong Nai has 120 areas growing farm produce with a total acreage of 24,000 hectares already granted planting area codes to serve export to many countries, including China, the US, New Zealand, Australia and European countries.
According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, orchards with planting area codes are concentrated in Long Khanh city and Cam My and Xuan Loc districts. Among key plants grown for export in the province, rambutan, mango, banana and durian have the largest areas granted planting areas codes.
Tran Lam Sinh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said planting area code is a certificate of identification for a growing area to facilitate the monitoring and control of production and product quality control, as well as the tracking of products.
In order to be granted a planting area code, farmers have to follow safe agriculture standards, keep farming diary and not to use certain substances according to regulations of import countries.
At present, Dong Nai has more than 49,000 hectares under perennial fruit trees. In the past, due to no planting area codes, most fruits were exported through unofficial channels to China, and only a small volume could reach foreign markets via official channels.
As such, planting area codes are very important to the agricultural sector of Dong Nai, as they not only enable the province’s farm produce to expand their foothold in the world market but also help raise local farmers’ awareness and knowledge about food safety and hygiene, working towards sustainable production.
The code could be seen as the key to build customers’ trust in the quality of Vietnam’s farm produce in both the domestic and international markets.
Sinh said the Department is carrying out a plan to set up and manage more planting areas and packaging facilities for export. The province aims to grant more than 70 more planting area codes to about 6,500 hectares of key export fruits such as pomelo, banana, mango, jack fruit and dragon fruit.
In order to accelerate the process of granting planting area codes, Dong Nai’s agricultural sector will intensify communication activities and provide more support to farmers and agricultural production establishments in accessing the codes. Training courses will be held for farmers in integrated pesticide control for plants and farms, cultivation techniques and post-harvest management.
The agricultural sector will build production chains linking planting areas, packaging facilities, exports, local administrations and state management agencies. It will also work to enhance linkages between planting areas and packaging facilities to prevent violations of rules in using planting areas codes, especially the faking of planting area codes for products from outside the coded areas./.
