Blog – Camel Group

Types of pineapple grown in Vietnam

Pineapple is a very common fruit in Vietnam, used directly or processed into smoothies, juices, or canned in the form of slices or pieces. This fruit is also a great ingredient for cooking. Pineapple has eye nods all over, yellow flesh, sweet and sour taste and high organic acid content. This fruit is considered a rich source of manganese, vitamins C & B1, and they add many good minerals to the body.

There are three popular pineapple varieties being produced in Vietnam at present, namely: QUEEN, CAYENNE and MD2.

Pineapple QUEEN is the most popular variety in Vietnam, grown from North to South, and suitable for the consumer tastes of the majority of Vietnamese people with outstanding characteristics of sweet, bright golden yellow color and very aromatic. The most recognizable feature of Queen pineapple is the tiny spine on the edge edge of the leaf.

A Queen pineapple when ripe usually ranges from 0.3 – 2.0 kg. Bright and solid yellow. We should choose the fruit at 0.8-1.2kg. The fruit is most delicious when peel and stem are fresh, the eyes are open, the pineapple is ripe yellow ½ fruit from the stem.

CAYENNE pineapple is the second most popular pineapple variety in Vietnam, produced in Tam Diep (Ninh Binh), Quynh Luu (Nghe An), Dak Lak, Don Duong (Lam Dong) Quang Nam… Harvest time is short, mainly from June to August.

The biggest advantage of this type is that it doesn’r cause thrush when eating a lot, shallow eye nods and thin skin. However, not many Vietnamese consumers like this pineapple because it has a slightly sour taste when it is not fully ripe and is not as fragrant as Queen pineapple. Flesh color is light yellow. A Cayenne pineapple usually has a weight of 1 – 3 kg. We should choose 1-2 kg pineapple, balanced cylinder, and ripe yellow ½ fruit.

MD2 pineapple is a limited variety grown in Vietnam at present due to difficult and slow propagation. It is a selective cross between Queen pineapple and Cayenne pineapple, thus carrying most of the outstanding advantages of both parent varieties. It is sweet, aromatic, crispy and the flesh has a golden color. The fruit is large and has shallow eye nods. MD2 pineapple is one of the most popular fresh edible varieties in the world today.

MD2 pineapple is cylindrical fruit, dark green shoots; leaf margin without spines (like Cayenne). When ripe, the rind and flesh is bright yellow.

Area of pineapple cultivation areas in Vietnam

1. Tien Giang Province (about 14.8000 ha)

Pineapples are mainly planted in communes of Thanh My, My Phuoc, Hung Thanh, Thanh Tan, Thanh Hoa, Tan Hoa Dong, Tan Lap 1, Tan Lap 2 and Phuoc Lap of Tan Phuoc district with the area of more than 14,063 ha and annual output of approximate 244,000 tons following VietGAP Standard.

2. Kien Giang Province (about 10.000ha)

Tac Cau island and the surrounding areas along the Cai Lon and Cai Be rivers in Chau Thanh and Go Quao districts, which have alluvial soil and favorable climate conditions, have grown pineapples for over 70 years. The name of the island has become the brand of the south’s tastiest pineapple with a delicate sweetness and special fragrance.

3. Hau Giang Province (about 1.600 ha)

Hau Giang Province has three specialty crops which are pineapples, sugar canes and cajuputs. Of these, Cau Duc pineapples have the highest economic value. It is not only famous in the domestic market but they have also been exported to Russia and other European countries.

Now, Hau Giang Province has about 1,500ha under pineapple cultivation, of which over 1,000ha belong to Hoa Tien and Tan Tien Communes. Thanks to the suitable soil conditions, the pineapple plants yield big and sweet fruit. In 2006, the trademark “Cau Duc Pineapples of Hau Giang” was recognized by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam.

4. Long An Province (about 1.000 ha)

Long An pineapple has a gentle sweetness, a little sourness and an attractive aroma that awakens all your senses.

While rich in fiber and energy, pineapple is low in fat and cholesterol, making it a great supplement that you should add to your diet to improve and maintain health. Pineapple contains manganese, a mineral needed by the body to build bones and connective tissue. Bromelain is an extract found in pineapple, which regulates the activity of the pancreas, aids in digestion

5. Thanh Hoa Province (about 3.789 ha)

Pineapples in Thanh Hoa are grown in Ha Trung districts, Bim Son, Tho Xuan district and Ngoc Lac district.

5. Ninh Binh Province (about 3000ha)

Dong Giao farm is also known as pineapple farm – a quite famous land of Tam Diep and ninh binh vietnam. It appeared with a picture like a romantic feng shui picture, green pineapple trees covered the basalt red soil roads. If you want to find a “green” place between the majestic mountains or a peaceful paradise for a beautiful “pictures” the pineapple farm

Vietnamese seedless lychees reach out to Foreigner consumers

According to the plan, more than one tonne of seedless lychees cultivated by Ho Guom – Song Am High-tech Agriculture Co., Ltd in Thanh Hoa were exported to these demanding markets on June 13.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development revealed that these seedless lychees have fully met VietGAP and GlobalGAP farming requirements to ensure they are up to the stringent regulations set by importers.

A representative of Ho Guom – Song Am High-tech Agriculture Co., Ltd stated that this marks the first year that the company has harvested the juicy fruit with an estimated output of roughly 20 tonnes. Currently, a wholesale price for a kilo of seedless lychee stands at roughly VND170,000.

At present, the company’s seedless lychees have made their presence in major domestic markets such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The shipment of the initial batch of seedless lychees to the Japanese and UK markets is expected to pave the way for the export of other local agricultural products in the near future.

Vietnamese fruits provide high export value

In late October, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Administration of Customs of China signed a protocol on quarantine requirements for Vietnamese banana exports to China.

Previously, in July and August, Vietnam’s passion fruit and durian also received a “visa” to enter the Chinese market. Vietnam’s pomelos, after four years of negotiations, officially entered the US market in mid-October.

This value will help achieve the goal of earning $6.5 billion in export revenue from fruits and vegetables by 2030.

Fruits are key export items of Vietnam’s agriculture. A decade ago, export turnover of vegetables and fruit was only $460 million. However, in 2013, they brought yearly export revenue of at least $1 billion.

In 2016, they brought in $2.4 billion and $3.15 billion in 2017. In 2019, the figure jumped to $3.7 billion.

Vegetables and fruits were among the top 3 agricultural exports, behind wood and seafood.

Vegetables and fruit exports were expected to surpass the $4 billion mark in 2020, but due to the pandemic and China adding more technical barriers, the export revenue of vegetables and fruit dropped to $3.25 billion in 2020 and then increased to $3.52 billion in 2021.

In 2022, export revenue of most agricultural products has recovered, but not for vegetables and fruit. By the end of October, the figure was $2.8 billion, down 6.5% over the same period last year.

It is estimated that this group of products will earn $3.2 billion for the year, down by $0.5 billion compared to the milestone of $3.7 billion in 2019.

Experts, businesses and officials have pointed out why Vietnam’s fruit exports have declined in recent years.

They emphasized the mindset of Vietnamese farmers who still raise output rather than quality, and prefer to sell what they have rather than market-favored products. They also prefer to sell fresh products rather than deeply processed ones.

Another reason is that Vietnamese traders and businesses prefer to export these products to China by unofficial channels rather than official channels. When China – Vietnam’s largest customer – raised standards, tightened technical barriers and restricted small-scale imports, Vietnamese fruits faced difficulty.

Experts and officials in the agriculture industry say that consumption trends in the world have changed. Customers not only require delicious and clean food, but also convenient products suitable for busy lives.

According to statistics, exports of fresh fruits and vegetables fell by 21%, while processed fruit products increased by 11% in January-August 2022.

Pineapple Cultivation in Vietnam

In Vietnam, pineapple cultivation is common, spreading throughout the country. Each area has its own particular fertile and climate, making the methods and the times for harvesting various among the North, the Middle and the South. In this post we are referring to the Queen pineapple – the most popular pineapple variety grown in Vietnam. Also, it’s the most type that’s our company uses for our popular soft dried pineapple.

When and How Farmers Harvest Their Pineapples

In the North, commercial pineapple is planted mostly in Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, Phu Tho. Pineapple plants are grown on gentle slopes with ferralsols base and average temperature of 20 – 20 degree C. When it’s peak harvest time (usually falls from May to June), harvesters simply use a sickle or a sharp knife. This is to cut the fruit from the plant by where the pineapple joins the stalk, and put it in baskets. After that, they will load the pineapple fruits on a big truck for carrying to factories or wait for traders.

Growing pineapple in the Middle of Vietnam

In the Middle of Vietnam, Phu Yen, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa are the two provinces that provide plenty of pineapple fruits for the market. Farmers grow pineapple plants on high slopes with not very fertile soil. However, the fruit gives such irresistible aroma and unique flavor that is favored in the country. Under natural conditions, pineapple comes to harvest in two season: February and June (January and May in Lunar calendar). To facilitate the transportation of products during harvest, farmers invented a pulley system. It has winches hundreds of meters long connecting from the slopes to the ground.

Using water for collecting pineapple in the South

Kien Giang, Tien Giang, Long An, Hau Giang are provinces in the Mekong River Delta that grow a large amount of delicious and nutritious pineapple fruits in the South of Vietnam. The Queen pineapple is very nurtured and flourishes here thanks to the fertile acid soil and good climate. Starting from April and end after June in Lunar calendar, farmers using boats to get to every row in the pineapple farm. Then pick the right pineapple with their sickle, and drop the fruits on the canal for later collect.

Opportunities to boost exports Pineapple

Tien Giang is among the provinces with the largest pineapple growing area in Vietnam. Pineapple trees in this province concentrate mainly in Tan Phuoc district with an area of over 15,000 ha.

Over the years, pineapples in Tan Phuoc have been developed in the direction of specialized cultivation to bring into full play the strengths of this staple crop. Mr. Huynh Van Buon, Head of the Tan Phuoc Department of MARD, said that the district has shaped the pineapple production area. Consequently, the district conducted science and technology transfers to increase the productivity, quality, and output of pineapple.

The treatment technique for pineapple trees to bear fruit at will, transferred by the agricultural sector of Tien Giang province to Tan Phuoc pineapple farmers, has been effective and is being replicated locally. With this technique, farmers in Tan Phuoc can produce pineapples almost year-round. This contributes to helping farmers adjust output according to market demand, avoiding the risk of pineapple backlog, and difficulty in consumption due to harvest at a certain time of the year.

Thanks to specialized production and promotion of science and technology, many farmers in Tan Phuoc have become well off with pineapples. Mr. Nguyen Van Ngu’s family, a farmer in Thanh Tan commune, with a model of pineapple farming combining husbandry and aquaculture on an area of 3.2 ha, has a profit of over VND1 billion per year.

The expanded pineapple purchasing and consumption network in Tan Phuoc also creates favorable conditions for pineapple trees in this district. In the area, there are 8 cooperatives associated with farmers to produce pineapple and buy back products. Additionally, 19 retailers are specialized in purchasing pineapples.

Understanding the market to boost exports

Products such as frozen pineapple, canned pineapple, and concentrated pineapple juice,… are not only consumed in the domestic market but also exported to foreign countries for decades thanks to good quality and extensive purchasing network.

Promoting pineapple exports, especially to fastidious but high-value markets, is the desire of Tien Giang pineapple growers in particular and the country in general.

Ms. Inge Ribbens (Netherlands Fresh Fruit Import and Export Promotion Association) spoke at the Consulting session on exporting pineapple to Europe, organized by the Agency of Foreign Trade (Ministry of Industry and Trade) on August 30, 2022, in Tien Giang). She said that in 2021, the Netherlands imported over 250,000 tons of pineapples of all kinds and is the country with the largest import turnover of pineapples in the EU. The Netherlands imports pineapples mainly from Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Cote D’Ivoire and a small amount from Asian markets such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines…

Ms. Inge Ribbens suggested that Vietnam’s pineapple and fruit exporters should consider attending major fruit-related trade fairs around the world to promote the product brand and directly approach potential European importers. These events include the Fruit Attraction Madrid, SIAL Paris, Fruit Logistica Bangkok, and Gulfood Dubai…

According to Ms. Hoang Le Hang, representative of the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK, the UK is a good potential market for the export of pineapple products. In 2021, the UK is the 10th largest pineapple importer in the world and 6th in Europe after the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy with 119.6 million tons, worth $78.2 million.

The demand for pineapple products in the UK market is quite stable, with major sources of imports from Costa Rica (accounting for 80% of the market share), Brazil, the Philippines, and Thailand… The fresh pineapple market growth rate in the UK is 3.2% from 2022 to 2027, and pineapple juice consumption averages around 0.43 liters/person in 2021.

Ms. Hoang Le Hang recommended that Vietnamese businesses wishing to export pineapples to the UK need to understand consumer tastes. The British prefer healthy tropical fruits such as pineapple, especially organic products that meet the standards of food safety and hygiene, with no residues of pesticides exceeding the permissible threshold…

Ms. Hang shared that “Vietnamese businesses can approach to sell pineapple products through trading companies, or directly to supermarkets and retail groups in the UK. Participating in fairs and exhibitions, and practicing digital marketing with the UK market are also effective marketing channels for businesses supplying Vietnamese pineapple products to the UK

Where is pineapple grown in Vietnam?

Vietnam has grown a wide range of pineapple in various plantations across the countries. Some of the commonly seen types are “dứa ta,” “dứa mật,” “dứa không gai,” and mainly grown before the rain season. Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, Thanh Hoa, Kien Giang, and Tien Giang are the provinces with the highest pineapple exported a year.

Visitors coming to Vietnam can purchase this exotic fruit from every street vendor in the country at an affordable price, from 5.000 to 10.000 VND for one whole fruit. The sellers will be happy to cut it out if you do not want to perform your skill.

Benefits of pineapple

Loaded with lots of vitamin C and antioxidant compounds, eating pineapple will help protect the skin, reduce inflammation symptoms, relieve joint and bone pain, and reduce stress. With 100 – 200 grams of ripe pineapple a day, you will notice the improvement of mind and body health. People with stomach diseases, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and pregnant women should not eat pineapple, especially long-stored ones.

Food made from pineapple

Pineapple flesh and juice are used in many dishes of Vietnam and cuisine around the world. It is commonly seen in dessert dishes such as fruit salad, raw shrimp salad, fruit cake, “chè” and ice cream.

Developing raw material areas essential for Vietnam’s agricultural growth

Despite having gained access to nearly 200 countries and territories with an annual turnover of US$40 billion, Việt Nam still struggled to sustainably expand and develop markets for its agricultural commodities in harsh conditions.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường pointed out the country’s disadvantages in increasing consumption of its agricultural products at the International Support Group Plenary Meeting 2019 in Hà Nội.

According to Cường, Việt Nam’s agriculture does not have effective productivity as most of farms are small in size, exposing the sector to threats of loss and crop failure, especially under the impacts of climate change.

“Besides shrimp, catfish and milk, most of Việt Nam’s agricultural products have very short value chains,” he said, adding that Vietnamese farmers were the most vulnerable as production still depended heavily on weather conditions while farming infrastructure was limited.

In the context of global integration, the public-private partnership needs accelerating to allocate resources to develop a completed agriculture management ecosystem which will not only satisfy the food demand of nearly 100 million citizens but also the international market, the minister said.

“Việt Nam has to continue agricultural restructure, focusing on products that the country has comparative advantages, applying innovations and enhancing international cooperation,” said Cường.

Ousmane Dione, World Bank Việt Nam Country Director, raised concerns over quality and sustainability of Việt Nam’s agricultural growth, saying profits earned by small households were low and post-harvest loss was considerable.

Meanwhile, food quality and safety have not ensured, hindering the country’s agriculture sector from expanding.

He recommended Việt Nam strengthens ties among stakeholders and provinces in planning production areas and improving trade promotion besides increasing productivity.

Đặng Kim Sơn, former head of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, stressed upon the development of sustainable raw material areas and cooperatives as the breakthrough to further set up value chains for agricultural products.

In its presentation at the event, representatives of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) briefed the model of “Centre of Excellence” which was piloted in Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp and Hà Nội as an approach to develop agri-business and value chain.

According to UNIDO, the model “represents an interface between farmers and the market and acts as a model for the application of appropriate technologies and its transfer to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) acting in the sector”.

Many supporting services are provided including vocational training in food processing and entrepreneurship management.

Two enterprises in Đồng Tháp Province have successfully exported mangoes to the US and tripled the raw material areas, from 300ha to nearly 1,000ha, under the model’s framework.

Việt Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and UNIDO signed a project implementation agreement on increasing quality and standards compliance capacity of the mango value chain in Mekong River Delta. — VNS

First batches of Vietnamese lychee arrive in Japan

The first batches of fresh “thieu” lychee to Japan, more than 2 tonnes in total, have gone through customs clearance at Japan’s Nirata International Airport and will be hitting shelves soon, according to the Plant Protection Department….

Japanese experts on June 18 examined and supervised phytosanitary measures and treatment for the lychee in the northern province of Bac Giang where the fruit was grown. The shipments were made by exporters Ameii Vietnam JSC and Chanh Thu.

The two companies dispatched two other shipments to Japan by sea on June 20, around 3 tonnes each, which are expected to arrive the country within seven days.

Japan is expected to purchase about 100 tonnes of fresh “thieu” lychee from Vietnam this year.

Over the last four years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has worked with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to conduct testing and negotiations to pave the way for the export.

Last year, the MAFF finally agreed to import lychee from Vietnam.

Earlier, Japanese experts went to Bac Giang’s Lục Ngan district to check and were satisfied with the lychee growing areas granted with export standard codes. However, they still have to directly supervise the process of harvesting, preserving and packaging of lychee exported to this market.

The lychee exports must be packed and treated with methyl bromide fumigation at facilities approved by the Plant Protection Department and MAFF with a minimum dosage of 32g per cu.m within two hours, under the supervision of Vietnamese and Japanese plant quarantine officers.

Vietnamese lychee meets Canadian standards

High-quality Vietnamese lychee meets the standards of the Canadian market, according to a Canadian importer.

Rex Yu from Manley Sales Company, who imported the first batch of Vietnamese lychee on June 10, told Vietnamese News Agency correspondents that Vietnamese lychees meet quality requirements of the Canadian Food Investigation Agency (CFIA).

He expressed his hope that Vietnamese lychee would secure a share in the Canadian market as Vietnamese fresh dragon fruits and longan have, both of which are currently imported by his company.

The company plans to distribute Vietnamese lychee across the country, from British Columbia on the west coast to Quebec on the east coast, within a week.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Canada has conducted a number of promotion campaigns to support domestic agricultural products in the host market, said Commercial Counsellor Hoang Anh Dung.

It also facilitates access to local investors and legal information for domestic businesses to ensure product quality, thus enhancing their competitiveness in the Canadian market.

Lychees and longan berries are Vietnam’s key fruit exports, along with dragon fruit, bananas, mangos, star fruit, rambutan and grapefruit.
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached 629 million USD in the first five months of this year, soaring 17.8 percent in turnover compared to the same period last year.

The country exported nearly 900,000 tonnes of fruit in the past five months, with dragon fruit taking the lead with 350,000 tonnes, followed by watermelons (250,000 tonnes), longans (110,000 tonnes) and bananas (30,000 tonnes).

Camel Group

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