Phu Tho (VNA) – Developing fruit production in the northern miౠdland and mountainous region to meet domestic and export standards was the focus of a forum held in Phu Tho province on July 18.

According to the National Agricultural Extension Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, fruit-growing areas nationwide cover over 1.3 million hectares in 2024, with the northern midland and mountainous region accounting for 21%, second only to the Mekong Delta. The region boasts a wide variety of fruits with strong local identities and high potential, contributing to Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export revenue of 7.1 billion USD. Production clusters have emerged for key fruits such as lychee in Luc Ngan (now part of Bac Ninh), orange and pomelo in Tuyen Quang and Phu Tho, plum in Son La and Lao Cai, and custard apple in Lang Son.

Several fruits such as lychee, pomelo, banana, and plum have been successfully exported to China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Australia, the EU and the US. Phu Tho alone has nearly 32,000 hectares of major fruit crops, including over 11,900 ha of pomelo, 5,500 ha of banana and 4,000 ha of orange and tangerine. The province has issued over 370 planting area codes and built dozens of packing facilities and OCOP-certified products, with some already exported to China and the EU. Sustainable farming models are being widely replicated as they apply VietGAP, organic fertilisers, efficient irrigation, and pest control techniques. According to the National Agricultural Extension Centre, fruit production in the region still faces challenges, including a lack of capital, technology, and standardisation, as well as fragmented growing areas that hinder mechanisation and value chain development. In addition, export markets impose strict requirements on quarantine, planting area codes, and clean cultivation practices, while domestic consumers increasingly demand certified produce. At the forum, farmers, scientists, businesses, and officials exchanged views on solutions to boost fruit cultivation in Vietnam’s northern midland and mountainous region. Discussions focused on market access, plant varieties, cultivation techniques, harvesting, preservation, processing, and meeting quality standards for domestic consumption and export. Le Quoc Thanh, Director of the National Agricultural Extension Centre, said the forum provided a comprehensive overview of fruit production in the region and helped raise awareness among growers about quality standards for both domestic consumption and export. As part of the forum, delegates visited a high-yield pomelo cultivation model in Chan Mong commune, Phu Tho province./.