Grape and wine production in the central province of Ninh Thuan isexpected to expand in the years to come as the industry imports moregrape varieties and creates a geographical indication for locallyproduced wine and grapes.
Speaking at a seminar heldin Ninh Thuan Province last week during the International Grapeand Wine Festival, Bui Nhat Quang, vice chairman of the provincialpeople's committee, said the province aimed to create the country'slargest grape cultivation area.
However, he noted thata number of challenges remain, including climate change, and poorfacilities and technologies, which affect grapes' quality andproductivity.
In addition, local grapes and grape products cannot compete with imported products.
The festival and seminar gave area farmers an opportunity to learn fromlocal and foreign experts about the latest technologies, and findmarkets for grapes and grape products such as raisins, jelly, jams andwine.
Le Kim Hung, director of the provincialDepartment of Science and Technology, said the province should plant twocrops each year instead of 2.5 or three a year, with the aim of havinghigher quality grape crops.
Although the province has176 grape varieties, it has only selected 131 good varieties, he said,adding that it needed to import more grape varieties.
One of the good varieties, Red Cardinal, has been cultivated since itwas imported to Vietnam in 1970. The province is test-plantingvarieties of Black Queen, Italy , Red Star, Patchong , NH 01-152,and NH 01-153.
Hung also said the province should boost transfer technology for grape farmers.
He also proposed building a model grape cultivation field in Ninh PhuocDistrict that would apply advanced technologies. Farmers could alsolearn about the latest cultivation techniques used on the field.
In addition, the province should continue building a geographicindication for grape and grape products in Ninh Thuan in order to createa brand name for the products in the province, he added.
Linkages among grape growers, producers and experts should also bestrengthened to help improve the grape industry, Hung said.
Nguyen Van Moi, vice chairman of the Ninh Thuan Grape Association, saidthe province should build a research centre on grape and wine.
Moi said the quality of wine was still low and that wine production lacked advanced facilities and technologies.
Wine production needs local raw materials instead of imports from other countries, he added.
He called on businesses to invest in technology transfer in grape cultivation for the farmers.
Tam Hien, a local grape farmer, said farmers in Ninh ThuanProvince were facing many challenges, including a lack of rawmaterials for wine making, advanced technologies and stable outlets fortheir products.
Raymond Ringhoff, a wine expert whoparticipated in the grape and wine festival, said there was greatpotential for grape products in Ninh Thuan Province because ofthe climate and soil there.
"I can see and hope thatmore wineries will open and more hectares of wines will be planted. Ialso see great potential in this province for both wine tourism andtourism in general," he told Vietnam News.
"Wine tourism helps other tourism operators and industries like hotels, restaurants and sightseeing tours," he added.
"I think the Vietnam tourism industry is on the right track fromwhat I saw and experienced on my 12-day research trip here," he said.
Raymond recommended a variety of activities for winetourism, including tours of vineyards with knowledgeable guides, wineand food pairing sessions, grape harvest tours that allow visitors topick the grapes from the vines, and wine tastings and wine education atthe tasting room centre.
Grapes, which are a highlyvalued staple crop in Ninh Thuan Province , were first introducedinto the province in 1960 and test-planted by the South Central Centrefor Agricultural Technical Research based in Ninh Son District.Commercial production began in the 1980s.
The province has 1,100 hectares of grape fields with an average yield of 25 tonnes of fresh grapes per hectare per year.
The seminar was part of the International Grape and Wine Festival held in Phan Rang-Tham Cham in Ninh Thuan last week.
The festival aimed to enhance tourism and exchanges between grapefarmers and businesses, as well as promote investment opportunities.-VNA
Speaking at a seminar heldin Ninh Thuan Province last week during the International Grapeand Wine Festival, Bui Nhat Quang, vice chairman of the provincialpeople's committee, said the province aimed to create the country'slargest grape cultivation area.
However, he noted thata number of challenges remain, including climate change, and poorfacilities and technologies, which affect grapes' quality andproductivity.
In addition, local grapes and grape products cannot compete with imported products.
The festival and seminar gave area farmers an opportunity to learn fromlocal and foreign experts about the latest technologies, and findmarkets for grapes and grape products such as raisins, jelly, jams andwine.
Le Kim Hung, director of the provincialDepartment of Science and Technology, said the province should plant twocrops each year instead of 2.5 or three a year, with the aim of havinghigher quality grape crops.
Although the province has176 grape varieties, it has only selected 131 good varieties, he said,adding that it needed to import more grape varieties.
One of the good varieties, Red Cardinal, has been cultivated since itwas imported to Vietnam in 1970. The province is test-plantingvarieties of Black Queen, Italy , Red Star, Patchong , NH 01-152,and NH 01-153.
Hung also said the province should boost transfer technology for grape farmers.
He also proposed building a model grape cultivation field in Ninh PhuocDistrict that would apply advanced technologies. Farmers could alsolearn about the latest cultivation techniques used on the field.
In addition, the province should continue building a geographicindication for grape and grape products in Ninh Thuan in order to createa brand name for the products in the province, he added.
Linkages among grape growers, producers and experts should also bestrengthened to help improve the grape industry, Hung said.
Nguyen Van Moi, vice chairman of the Ninh Thuan Grape Association, saidthe province should build a research centre on grape and wine.
Moi said the quality of wine was still low and that wine production lacked advanced facilities and technologies.
Wine production needs local raw materials instead of imports from other countries, he added.
He called on businesses to invest in technology transfer in grape cultivation for the farmers.
Tam Hien, a local grape farmer, said farmers in Ninh ThuanProvince were facing many challenges, including a lack of rawmaterials for wine making, advanced technologies and stable outlets fortheir products.
Raymond Ringhoff, a wine expert whoparticipated in the grape and wine festival, said there was greatpotential for grape products in Ninh Thuan Province because ofthe climate and soil there.
"I can see and hope thatmore wineries will open and more hectares of wines will be planted. Ialso see great potential in this province for both wine tourism andtourism in general," he told Vietnam News.
"Wine tourism helps other tourism operators and industries like hotels, restaurants and sightseeing tours," he added.
"I think the Vietnam tourism industry is on the right track fromwhat I saw and experienced on my 12-day research trip here," he said.
Raymond recommended a variety of activities for winetourism, including tours of vineyards with knowledgeable guides, wineand food pairing sessions, grape harvest tours that allow visitors topick the grapes from the vines, and wine tastings and wine education atthe tasting room centre.
Grapes, which are a highlyvalued staple crop in Ninh Thuan Province , were first introducedinto the province in 1960 and test-planted by the South Central Centrefor Agricultural Technical Research based in Ninh Son District.Commercial production began in the 1980s.
The province has 1,100 hectares of grape fields with an average yield of 25 tonnes of fresh grapes per hectare per year.
The seminar was part of the International Grape and Wine Festival held in Phan Rang-Tham Cham in Ninh Thuan last week.
The festival aimed to enhance tourism and exchanges between grapefarmers and businesses, as well as promote investment opportunities.-VNA
