More planting area codes for Khanh Hoa to boost agro-product export

According to Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the province has more than 82,686 ha of cultivated area, of which 59,611 ha are annual crops, 5,765 ha are perennial crops and more than 17,310 ha are fruit trees.

Regarding the key fruit tree areas, Khanh Hoa province has 8,067 ha of mangoes with 6,795 ha of which in the business period. the estimated mango output is 38,466 tons. Mango trees are grown the most in Cam Lam district with an area of 4,790 ha, possessing many quality mango varieties such as Australian mango, Hoa Loc, and Tu Quy. the Australian mango in particular is not only consumed domestically but also exported to China, Southeast Asian countries and Europe.

The next popular item is durian. Having a total planting area of more than 2,000 ha, durian orchards are mainly concentrated in the mountainous district of Khanh Son. The current output when harvested is more than 12,000 tons. Thanks to the suitable climatic and soil conditions, Khanh Son durian can attain a high level of deliciousness and flesh quality that gains the favor of domestic consumers.

Khanh Hoa also has approximately 1,500 ha of pomelo, of which 750 ha is production area with an output of 3,000 tons. Green skin pomelo, mainly grown in Khanh Vinh district, has a total area of 605 ha, of which more than 237 ha are for production, providing an output of more than 1,300 tons. Green skin pomelo of Khanh Vinh district stands out thanks to its succulent and sweet citrus, hence the high evaluation among the country’s pomelo growing areas.

Tran Thien Hung, Director of Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said that compared to the ample potential Khanh Hoa’s agro-products possessed, the number of planting area codes granted in the province seemed lacking. Accordingly, Khanh Hoa currently has 17 growing area codes and 2 packing facilities codes granted to export Australian mangoes and durians to markets such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand and China.

To be more specific, there are 14 growing area codes and 1 Australian mango packing facility in Cam Lam district. Khanh Son district has 3 growing area codes from Ba Cuong Bac Fruit Cooperation Group, Nguyen Huu Duc growing area and Son Binh Fruit Cooperation Group along with one durian packing facility of Sea Morning Cold Storage Co., Ltd.

The issuance of planting area codes and packing facility codes is thus deemed extremely essential in the process of improving product quality, creating agro-product trademarks and expanding the consumption market. They are the factors that will become important prerequisites for producers and enterprises to meet the requirements of domestic and international markets.

Faced with increasingly strict requirements in terms of agro-product quality management, the agriculture sector will disseminate extensive information to organizations and individuals in the area while paying further attention so as to provide production and business establishments wishing to grant planting area codes with appropriate guidance and support.

Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has requested the People's Committees of districts to direct specialized agencies, and the People's Committees of communes and townships to review and check the current status of planting areas that wish to be granted codes. Enterprises are required to proactively take measures to protect their codes and promptly notify management agencies when detecting related violations using codes.

Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Ba Ninh is assigned to direct Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection to coordinate with agriculture offices in localities to inspect and monitor planting area codes. The provincial sub-department is also tasked with spreading the word about the responsibility of managing planting area codes to localities, cooperatives, and farmer households. The aim is to help organizations and individuals utilize planting area codes in the right direction, for the right purpose while having the awareness to maintain planting area codes annually.