Promoting investment in agriculture and rural areas: Pineapples planting in the west

The journey with MD2 pineapple 

Farmers in Phuong Thanh hamlet, Phuong Binh commune, Phung Hiep district are busy harvesting MD2 during the daytime. The reporters can clearly feel the joy and excitement of the farmers when they are ready to make profits from these pineapples.

Mr. Nguyen Van Sy is considered an example for farmers in the commune to be brave and determined in converting from inefficiently cultivated sugarcane to MD2 pineapple. After several decades of working with sugarcane on an area of ​​4.5 hectares, with unstable price and output, Mr. Sy no longer felt confident that he can continue with sugarcane. After many years of research and study on the pineapple, he boldly transferred the 5.8 thousand meter square of sugarcane land to plant Queen pineapple from 2014 to 2015.

Even more recklessly, when a business started to build a raw material area of ​​MD2 pineapple in Phuong Thanh hamlet, Phuong Binh commune in 2018, many farmers in the commune were too afraid to convert, but Mr. Sy dared to removed the entire Queen pineapple plantation area to restart a business with the MD2 pineapple.

According to Mr. Sy, MD2 pineapple seeds are provided by Mien Tay Food Processing and Export Joint Stock Company (WestFood) and sold to farmers with a 3-year contract. One crop, on average, will yield pineapples for harvest after 12 to 18 months. “After the first trial planting, farmers were very excited, MD2 pineapples are heavyweight, at an average of 1.8kg each fruit, with dominant fruits weighing up to 2.8kg, giving a high yield, especially suitable to the low-lying soil in Phuong Binh commune".

In the pineapple field belonging to Mr. Lam Van Lam in Phuong Thanh hamlet, Phuong Binh commune, farmers are also rushing, both harvesting and transporting pineapples to the docked company's boat, ready for transport to the processing factory located in Can Tho city.

Mr. Lam, unable to hide his joy, shared, in the 20 years of growing bananas and sugarcane, there were years of profit, but there were also many years of losses with no capital to reinvest. Seeing that other farmers had successfully and effectively experimented with MD2 pineapples, Mr. Lam was also determined to discard bananas, harvest sugarcane to convert to growing MD2 pineapples.He converted only 2ha at first, he then expanded to 3ha. Sugarcane is harvested for 80-100 million VND/hectare, but the cost already accounted for 50% of profit. Meanwhilem, farmers who successfully grew pineapples received profits over 100 million VND/hectare.

A nearby 2-hectare land of sugarcane belonging to Mr. Vo Van Vu's family, planting MD2 pineapple for the first time, is also starting to harvest the first sweet fruit of the season, at a selling price of 5,500 VND/kg, regardless of the sizes.

Mr. Vu shared, in the near future, he will cooperate with some other farmers to convert 30 small-scale farmland, renovate the land to prepare for MD2 planting. “Twenty years ago, there was only sugar cane on my mind at the time, if there was an offtake company, it would help with the harvest, with no offtake businesses, the sugarcane would be abandoned in the field. After switching to pineapple trees, I find that farmers are much more eager to work harder. No one dared to boldly expand to grow MD2 pineapples in the past, then after one or two households tried it, others followed suit. The old saying rings true, farmers must see the results with their own eyes, then share with other farmers to bring practical effects", Mr. Vu frankly shared.

MD2 pineapple rises to the throne

According to information by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phung Hiep district, Hau Giang province, the area of ​​MD2 pineapple in the area has currently reached nearly 120 hectares. This area has increased 2-3 times compared to before when the pilot model (13 hectares) was built. 33 hectares of MD2 pineapple material area has obtained the GlobalGAP certificate, the fruit yield in 2022 is expected to reach 2,800 tons.

Mr. Tran Van Tuan, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Phung Hiep district, added that the company invests in farmers from planting to harvesting, guides on techniques, sends technical staff to live and work with farmers and assess the development of pineapple trees. With such a policy, farmers feel very excited and secure. Most farmers will not spend the initial capital, and even impoverished and near-impoverished households can also follow this model if they possess any land.

With the aim of building a sustainable, large-scale and concentrated material area in the near future, the Phung Hiep District People's Committee, Hau Giang Provincial People's Committee and Westfood Company have signed a Record of Discussion, agreeing to cooperate in the expansion, development and exploitation of the material area for MD2 pineapple with an expected area of ​​up to 2,000 ha from 2022 to 2030 and strives to achieve 50% of the area meeting Global Gap standards.

“With such an expanded area, specialized experts have advised the District People's Committee to select inefficient sugarcane areas to expand the raw material areas such as Phuong Phu, Hiep Hung. These are two communes with an expansive area of ​​sugarcane and melaleuca, manyfarmers have also registered to grow pineapple", said Mr. Tuan.

Currently, MD2 pineapple products are purchased and exported by WestFood Company to the markets of Japan, Korea, Europe, etc. under two forms of packaging: frozen and canned with the main product being MD2. In addition, the company is oriented to develop the export of fresh, whole fruit products.

Mr. Bui Duc Hoan, Deputy General Director of Mien Tay Export Food Processing Joint Stock Company (WestFood), affirmed that bringing MD2 pineapples to farmers in Phung Hiep district is suitable for the soil conditions of the region when the district's farmers are in need of restructuring crops. It also helps establish orientations for sustainable and stable development through building linkages between farmers and businesses. This model will also help to increase income for farmers.

In the context that the agricultural sector is directing farmers to develop following the trend of the agricultural economy, the production according to the needs of the market, especially catering towards foreign markets to improve the value of agricultural products supplied as well as income for farmers is the correct and appropriate development step worth replicating.

The changing of crop structure from sugarcane to MD2 pineapple in Phuong Binh commune, Phung Hiep district, Hau Giang province once again affirms that the link between farmers and businesses based on mutual interests have proved to be effective. In the near future, there will hopefully be many farmers who get rich from MD2.

The MD2 variety originated from the Americas, with yield from 60 to 90 tons of fruit per hectare. MD2 pineapple is one of the fruits that dominates the market share of fresh fruit and it is currently present in most major markets including Europe, Asia, America. WestFood Company informed that, MD2 pineapple products are grown following GlobalGAP clean food standards, with the advantages of sweetness, juiciness, heavyweight, the company currently holds sole ownership of seed technology.

In 2020, the company succeeded in bringing MD2 pineapples into high-end fruit stores such as Farmers Market, Nam An Market in Ho Chi Minh City. The company will continue to supply chains of convenience stores and foreign supermarkets in Vietnam such as Aeon or Lotte Mart nationwide with fresh pineapple products in the future.