Hanoi (VNA) - The 2026 Hung Yen Longan Festival and Trade Promotion Programme has highlighted the cultural heritage and value of the province’s signature fruit while promoting its brand and expanding market opportunities for local producers.
From August 7-9, a range of activities, including a longan peeling contest, a lotus-seed longan sweet soup cooking competition and longan orchard tours, showcased the traditional skills and expertise of local growers and processors while offering consumers a closer look at the specialty associated with the historic Pho Hien area.
A highlight of this year’s festival was the presentation of a certificate from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognising the “Knowledge of growing and processing Hung Yen longan” as national intangible cultural heritage to six communes and wards, namely Hong Chau, Son Nam, Tan Hung, Khoai Chau, Trieu Viet Vuong and Tien Lu.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Quang Hoa said the festival was an opportunity to not only promote the province’s signature agricultural products and One Commune One Product (OCOP) goods, but also strengthen trade and investment links.
It also helped showcase the province’s distinctive cultural heritage as Hung Yen seeks to develop cultural industries and tourism into important economic sectors, he said.
Hung Yen currently has more than 5,860ha of longan orchards, concentrated in Tan Hung, Khoai Chau, Hong Quang, Son Nam and Tien Lu. About 20% of the total output is processed into dried longan, with around 400 households engaged in production and processing. More than 20 dried-longan products have received three- or four-star OCOP certification.
Hung Yen longan was ranked 13th among Vietnam’s 50 famous fruits and received a geographical indication certificate from the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam in 2017.
Hoa said the province has in recent years invested in developing specialised longan-growing areas, promoting organic and VietGAP farming and establishing links covering production, processing and consumption.
In 2019, the provincial People’s Committee approved a project for 2020-2025, with a vision to 2030, focusing on conserving valuable genetic resources, developing intensive farming models, providing technical support to farmers, strengthening production linkages and promoting the brand and products.
As part of the festival, the province organised a market fair featuring longan, agricultural products and other signature goods at more than 100 booths. The event provided businesses, cooperatives and growers with opportunities to promote their products and connect with consumers and tourists.
Several businesses also signed memoranda of understanding on the supply and distribution of longans with longan-growing cooperatives and major orchards in the province.
The provincial Department of Industry and Trade organised a mega livestream campaign to promote longan and other specialties through digital and multimedia platforms. Nearly 500 orders for longan and other agricultural products were recorded after two livestream sessions, highlighting the potential of digital platforms to expand agricultural sales.
Tran Thi Dien, Director of the Centre for Industrial and Trade Promotion under the Department of Industry and Trade, said the inaugural festival had provided opportunities for producers, cooperatives and businesses to exchange experience, strengthen production and distribution links, and expand access to domestic and export markets.
The centre will continue advising on trade promotion programmes, diversifying distribution channels and accelerating digital transformation to connect local products with potential domestic and international markets, she added./.
