Tan Lac red pomelos are packaged by Fusa Organic Agriculture JSC and exported by ECO Hoa Binh JSC in late November 2024.
At the 14-year-old orchard of Pham Van Hoi in Tan Phong, Man Duc town, Tan Lac district, hundreds of freshly picked pomelos are packed into bags and loaded onto carts to fulfil merchant orders. Hoi shared that his nearly 3,000 sq.m orchard is cultivated according to VietGAP standards. This year’s prices have dipped slightly compared to the previous season, he noted.
According to the Tan Lac Agriculture and Rural Development Office, the district has over 1,100 hectares of the fruit under harvest. As of September 30, more than 217 hectares have been certified under VietGAP or organic standards, with designated codes for domestic cultivation and exports. Concentrated plantations in Thanh Hoi, Dong Lai, and Tu Ne communes generate high incomes, averaging between 380 – 415 million VND (14,933 – 16,308 USD) per hectare. Its pomelo production for 2024 is projected to exceed 17,600 tonnes, catering to both domestic and foreign markets.
Alongside Tan Lac, farmers in major pomelo-growing regions such as Luong Son, Kim Boi, and Yen Thuy are also hard at work harvesting to fulfil orders. Across the province, cultivation spans approximately 5,400 hectares. The 2024 harvest is expected to yield about 105,000 tonnes, with the Dien pomelo harvest set to conclude by mid-January 2025.
This season, three types of the fruit are being exported, namely Dien, Tan Lac red pomelos, and green-skinned pomelos, which makes its debut. However, the impact of natural disasters, particularly Typhoon Yagi, has reduced the percentage of export-grade fruits. Prolonged rains led to increased pest infestations, affecting their appearance despite their excellent internal quality and Brix levels.
Nguyen Hong Yen, the head of the provincial sub-department of crop production and plant protection, noted that to enhance pomelo export volumes this season, the Hoa Binh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has implemented several key measures. Among these, 35 planting area codes were issued for exports to markets including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, the EU, and the Republic of Korea. The total pomelo export volume is projected to reach between 250 and 300 tonnes in 2024.