Out-of-season longan has a good season, good price

High profit from planting off-season label

Growers of Huong Chi longan in the Central Highlands are very excited because of the harvest and the price. Especially, thanks to the technical handling for off-season flowering longan, which has brought high economic efficiency, many farmers in the Central Highlands are turning to this tree.

On 1.5 hectares of sandy soil mixed with gravel, 3 years ago, Mr. Vu Ngoc Xuan (Ea Tih commune, Eakar district, Dak Lak) decided to give up sugarcane and switch to Huong Chi longan. With an average yield of 12-24 tons/ha/crop, after deducting all expenses, Mr. Xuan earns hundreds of millions of dong, 5 times higher than the previous cultivation of sugar cane and cassava.

Growers of Huong Chi longan in the Central Highlands are very excited because of the harvest and the price. (Illustrated photo – Photo: VNA)

“Calculating the time from pressing flowering to harvesting is the time I aim for, from 6-7 months, so it does not coincide with the August longan crop in the North or October in the West”, Mr. Vu Ngoc Xuan, Ea Tih commune, Eakar district, Dak Lak, said.

With the cultivation of fruits that are out of season compared to other longan growing areas in the country, in recent years, the output and selling price of Huong Chi longan have been stable, the lowest in the garden is 25,000 VND/kg, the peak is up to 30,000 VND. /kg, double, 3 times higher than the main season longan.

An advantage of this longan variety is that it produces a lot of flowers, when the weather is not favorable, if the first flower does not set, there is a second and third wave, so the yield is more stable than other varieties of longan. Planning for the next crop is higher than the previous ones.

Currently, Eakar district has about 1,200 hectares of Huong Chi longan growing, with nearly 1,300 households growing it, the largest in Dak Lak province, and is continuing to expand the growing area.

Off-season labels attract goods in the domestic market

Thanks to mastering the technique for longan to flower, set fruit off-season and harvest, while there are still a few months until the main harvest season, Huong Chi longan in the Central Highlands has met the demand when the market is tight. This fruit is rare. In order to have a strong consumption market, many cooperatives have accompanied farmers.

The clusters of freshly cut Huong Chi longans and large fruits have been continuously packed and sold in the past 4 months. Longan harvested as much as sold out, not even enough to supply the domestic market.

“The market always attracts goods, wholesale markets, restaurants always call to order. For example, today they called me to get more than 10 tons, but only enough to supply 6-7 tons”, Ms. Do Thi Hue, Deputy Director of Truong Xuan Cooperative, Ea Tih Commune, Eakar District, Dak Lak Province, said.

“Currently this year, the average price of longan is 26,000 – 27,000 VND/kg. If the price is like now, it will be stable and live. In general, if the price is 25,000 – 27,000 VND/kg or more, farmers are excited,” said Ms. Phuong Thi. Hien, Ea Tih commune, Eakar district, Dak Lak, shared.

Not only is it clean because it is grown according to VietGAP standards, but because of the difference in quality and characteristic flavor when grown in the Central Highlands, Huong Chi longan is very popular with consumers.

Large fruit, thick and dry rice, sweet taste, especially can be left outside for 7-10 days are the main reasons for Huong Chi longan to always attract customers. Huong Chi longan is mainly consumed domestically, a few have been exported.

“Currently, the main market is for domestic consumption, accounting for 95%, and a very few are exported by unofficial channels, through a number of purchasing enterprises”, said Mr. Tran Van Dong, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Development. rural development in Eakar district, Dak Lak, said.

The off-season Huong Chi longan market, although attracting goods, brings good income to farmers, but that is because the growing area has not expanded much. Many localities are encouraging farmers to convert inefficient crops to off-season longan.

Building an export-oriented link chain

The market is favoring and growing longan off-season is a new direction. However, before the planting area increases sharply, building a stable output chain for off-season longan should be considered right now.

Phuong Thi Hien’s family participates in growing longan according to VietGAP standards. From planting to harvesting, the cooperative comes to the longan garden to provide technical guidance and monitor farmers’ compliance with the correct care process. In turn, at present, farmers do not have to worry about output, because there are cooperatives to consume, but in the long term, farmers are very afraid of falling into a vicious cycle of precarious consumption like many other agricultural products when people rush to plant longan off-season.

Growing longan off-season is a new direction. (Illustration image – Photo: Labor)

“The problem is about the price, about the preservation. If the post-harvest preservation is good, the price will be more stable”, said Mr. Le Dinh Chien, Vice Chairman of Eakar District People’s Committee, Dak Lak.

Currently, Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general have a small area for growing Huong Chi longan according to VietGAP and Global GAP standards. to export standards, there is still much work to be done.

“It is necessary to reorganize to have a centralized production area with quality standards and certification and from there to connect with businesses to bring into the markets. But if we only sell spontaneously, sell to others. The price is not stable for traders,” said Nguyen Hoai Duong, director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Dak Lak province.

“In order for products to reach both domestic and foreign markets, these products must be put into the retail distribution system, on that basis, to ensure the development of the brand name of that product,” Huynh said. Ngoc Duong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Dak Lak province, emphasized.

In order to improve product value and go further, reaching more countries around the world, besides building quality growing areas, granting geographical certificates, investing in machinery, post-harvest preservation technology, etc. Huong Chi longan needs to be invested in deep processing, brand building and promotion, towards a sustainable official export market.

Recently, at the Conference to promote investment in the fields that are having the most strength in agriculture, Dak Lak province called on businesses to invest in post-harvest preservation and processing technology so that agricultural products can be saved. can be exported. This is considered an opportunity for Huong Chi longan and many other crops to reach the world market.

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