On the Export Region of Dien Grapefruit

Since the first Dien grapefruit trees were planted in 1996, Yen Tri commune has become one of the leading areas for Dien grapefruits in northern Vietnam. Not only boasting a large production volume, Yen Thuy Dien grapefruit is also an OCOP 4-star product that meets Global GAP standards, making it eligible for export to demanding markets such as the UK, EU, and the US.

In mid-October, the grapefruit harvest season in Yen Tri began. In many orchards, early-ripened grapefruits were harvested and sold to traders at an average price of about 14,000 VND per fruit, generating a significant income at the start of the season.

Mr. Vu Xuan Oanh, Director of Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative, inspects the technical stages to ensure the quality of the grapefruits before export.

Although Dien grapefruit ripens later, around mid-November, the atmosphere in the Dien grapefruit orchards has already been busy since the end of October. Farmers are focusing on the final technical steps to prepare for the first export batches for the 2025 grapefruit season. Mr. Vu Xuan Oanh, Director of Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative in Yen Tri, shared: "This year, the

cooperative plans to export about 100 tons of Dien grapefruit to two traditional markets, the EU and the US, and may expand to the South Korean market. In about a month, when Dien grapefruit ripens fully, the cooperative will begin preparing for export batches. However, we, the grapefruit farmers, must always stay close to the orchards, monitoring each grapefruit tree closely. After the recent storms, it’s even more important to focus on care, ensuring the quality and appearance of the fruit."

Dien grapefruit is processed, and traceability labels are affixed according to the required standards before export.

This is the fourth year that Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative has been exporting grapefruits to international markets. While the export volume has not been large, the fact that grapefruits have been accepted by demanding markets for three consecutive years is of great significance. It not only affirms the brand of Yen Thuy Dien grapefruit but also helps boost domestic consumption, stabilize prices, and increase the economic value of the grapefruit crop. Successful exports also help change the mindset of grapefruit farmers toward a more professional and systematic approach, focusing on quality, safety standards, and traceability.

From the pioneering households, the Dien grapefruit growing area has rapidly expanded. Currently, Yen Tri commune has nearly 500 hectares of Dien grapefruits, red grapefruits, and green-skinned grapefruits. Among them, Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative has 30 core members with a production area of 30 hectares, growing grapefruits under VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, with an average annual yield of 750 tons. Currently, the entire area of grapefruit in the commune has been assigned a regional planting code, opening up great opportunities for exports.

Among the successful farmers benefiting from Dien grapefruits is Nguyen Thi Hue. Recognizing that the soil in Dai Dong is ideal for Dien grapefruit, her family boldly invested in 7 hectares of Dien and green-skinned grapefruits in 2016. Three years later, the orchard yielded its first harvest. Ms. Hue shared: "We apply safe production processes according to VietGAP standards, using organic fertilizers and investing in an automatic drip irrigation system, as well as proper pruning. As a result, the trees are healthy, the fruit is uniform, and the grapefruit segments are crisp and sweet." Currently, the price of the grapefruit fluctuates from 12,000 to 15,000 VND per fruit, generating over 1 billion VND in annual revenue for the family.

By applying science and technology, avoiding the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, many households in Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative have shifted to organic farming, producing according to a sustainable value chain. As a result, their average income is 300-400 million VND per hectare per year, and the cooperative’s total revenue reaches over 7 billion VND annually. Dien grapefruit has also become one of the exemplary agricultural production models and a high-economic-efficiency crop in Yen Tri.

It can be seen that from the initial experimental steps, Yen Thuy Dien grapefruit has gradually established its position in both domestic and international markets. Each harvest season not only provides a stable income for the people of Yen Tri but also serves as proof of the right direction in crop restructuring, the application of scientific techniques, and safe agricultural production. With its current foundation, Yen Thuy Dien grapefruit is continuing to expand its export markets, becoming a key agricultural product contributing to sustainable economic development in Yen Tri commune.

Thanh Hoa