(HBO) – The first batch of Tan Lac red pomelo has been shipped to the UK, opening up a new opportunity, new market, and sustainable growth orientation for the fruit.

Members of the Tan Dong organic pomelo cooperative
have actively applied technological advances to improve the productivity and
quality of their product.
Tan Lac’s first batch, weighing nearly 7 tonnes, was also
Vietnam’s first of the citrus fruit sold overseas. Its producer is the Tan Lac
red pomelo production-processing-distribution cooperative, with related
packaging and transport activities serving the export done by the FUSA organic
farming company. All samples of the batch met technical requirements on food
safety set by the EU and UK.
Duong Duc Tinh, member of the Tan Lac cooperative, said the
batch is an important star for the fruit to reach more international markets.
The cooperative houses 50ha of pomelo orchards, with the trees cultivated
following the VietGAP and organic standards. Its annual revenue is estimated at
7 billion VND (296,861 USD).
Red pomelo is an indigenous plant variety of Hoa Binh,
cultivated by the people of Tan Lac’s Dong Lai commune since the 60s of the
last century. In 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
recognised the Hoa Binh red pomelo plant variety. In 2016, the provincial
People's Committee approved a project to develop red pomelo production in the
three districts of Tan Lac, Lac Son, and Kim Boi, with the scale targeted to
reach 2,000 ha by 2020. In 2017, the National Office of Intellectual Property
issued a trademark certificate for the Tan Lac red pomelo.
To date, Tan Lac’s total area under the citrus trees is approximately
2,600 ha, including 240ha of red pomelo with VietGap and organic certification
and 140ha. The locality is home to six red pomelo growing areas granted codes
according to standards for export to the EU.
Nguyen Hong Yen, Director of the provincial Sub-Department
of Cultivation and Plant Protection said that after two-year since the signing
of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, only 10 batches of pomelos weighing
over 200 tonnes were exported to the UK, most of them green-skinned pomelos
from southern provinces.
The shipment of Tan Lac red pomelo is a great source of
encouragement for future batches toward making export a distribution channel
for Hoa Binh’s key products./.
Dao Village’s honey – a product certified with a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating by Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative in Dao Village (Hoa Binh City) – is highly regarded by consumers for its quality, richness, and variety in packaging. The distinctively sweet taste of Dao Village’s honey leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
In alignment with Project No. 07-DA/TU, issued by the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee on November 1, 2021, Lac Thuy district has actively promoted investment and supported the sustainable development of its industrial and handicraft sectors during the 2021–2025 period. Alongside this, the district has remained committed to preserving and revitalising traditional craft villages.
Located in the northern part of Lac Thuy district, with a temperate climate and fertile soil, Phu Thanh commune has great potential and advantages in growing tea. The long-standing experience, combined with strict adherence to organic farming practices in the tea gardens, ensures that the dried tea products from Phu Thanh and Lac Thuy as a whole are sold out immediately upon production, providing a stable and prosperous life for the local people.
Amid efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus, Hoa Binh province has intensified measures to address challenges in land clearance, resettlement support, and infrastructure investment, aiming to speed up the progress of key projects.
Hoa Binh province has posted an unprecedented economic growth rate of 12.76% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its highest quarterly performance to date and positioning it as the second fastest-growing locality in the country, trailing only Bac Giang province.
Under current regulations, products in the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme that are rated three stars or higher must undergo re-evaluation every three months. However, in reality, some of these products fail to consistently meet the required standards, raising concerns about the sustainability of their OCOP certification. This underscores the urgent need for producers to enhance product quality and gradually develop their OCOP products into strong, marketable brands.