Strictly comply with safe production to longan 'export'

Hung Yen gardeners are busy preparing for the longan harvest. The use of pesticides is strictly controlled to ensure quality for domestic and export markets.

Strict control of pesticide use

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, Acting Head of Cultivation Department (Hung Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) said: In 2022, the province's longan area will be over 5,000 hectares, of which, the area for harvesting is about 4,800 hectares, the output is estimated at 45,000 - 47,000 tons.

Early ripening longan tea is harvested from July 15 - 30 (the output accounts for about 5-7%); The main tea crop is harvested from August 5 to 25 (the output accounts for about 80 - 85%); Late ripening tea is harvested from August 30 to September 20 (the output accounts for about 10-15%). Up to now, the area of longan certified to meet VietGAP standards is 1,200 hectares (accounting for 25% of the total area) at 81 longan production facilities and areas in the whole province.

Mr. Le Minh Nam, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Sub-Department of Hung Yen said: Currently, the province has granted 27 planting area codes for 17 longan growing areas, with an area of 170ha. Hung Yen longan is currently exporting to markets such as China, Australia, the US, Korea...

According to Mr. Nam, with the policy of diversifying markets to reduce pressure and improve consumption efficiency, in addition to the domestic market, Hung Yen longan will aim to conquer different markets around the world. To do this, specialized agencies continuously recommend people to increase production in a safe direction, perform well the monitoring of planting area codes to ensure the source of raw materials for export.

In which, special attention should be paid to minimizing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers; replaced by micro-organic fertilizers, new generation biological pesticides, herbal preparations to prevent pests and diseases with less toxic to health and environmental impact as well as minimizing the risk of residues on fertilizer products, biological and organic fertilizers.

In the case of having to use pesticides, use only those drugs on the permitted list, ensure the principle of "4 right" (right drug, right dose, right time and right method), enough time to separate cups before harvest. For longan orchards that are in the ripening period when diseases tend to develop, only silver and copper nano preparations are used to prevent disease and ensure food hygiene and safety...

Mr. Tran Van My, Director of Quyet Thang specialty fruit tree cooperative, Quyet Thang village, Tan Hung commune (Hung Yen city) said: Currently, the cooperative has 40 hectares of VietGAP certified longan. Estimated yield is 200 tons. The cooperative is granted 3 planting area codes with an area of 30ha for export to the Eastern European market.

According to Mr. My, in order to achieve the quality according to the standards of the exporting country, right from the beginning of the crop, the cooperative has guided the members in the process of caring, pruning, and using pesticides according to regulations.

Currently, longan has entered the isolation phase to prepare for harvest, so all members of the cooperative do not use pesticides to prevent and treat diseases. Instead, households use nano-silver and copper preparations to kill fungi and disease-causing bacteria, help them shine, prevent dark spots on fruit skin, and do not cause residues on products when harvested...

"Although the domestic market is still the main market, it is in a state of oversupply. Therefore, expanding the export market is very necessary to improve product value and reduce pressure on domestic consumption.

In addition, it is necessary to diversify products made from longan instead of just making longan as at present. Because, the longan market is facing difficulties because it is competing with longan from Thailand flooding the domestic market. On the other hand, the consumption of longan depends entirely on the Chinese market, while this country is increasingly tightening import regulations," said Mr. Tran Van My.

Safe and organic production cannot be rushed

Ms. Tran Thi Bac, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ne Chau Longan Cooperative Production, Hong Nam Commune (Hung Yen City) shared: The cooperative has 15 hectares of longan cultivation all meeting VietGAP standards. In the first stage of production implementation according to VietGAP standards, there were many difficulties because traditional farming habits were deeply rooted in people's awareness. Some households see bad plants or early pests, diseases are spraying, fertilizing indiscriminately, after using, the packaging is thrown indiscriminately in the garden...

When households accept the change, cultivate together according to the same process, pesticide spraying is deployed simultaneously in a certain time, so the control efficiency is high, the number of times of using pesticides is reduced. Since then, the cost of buying drugs, fertilizers, labor, and health is improved...

Regarding fertilizers, currently 70% of the cooperative members are using organic fertilizers soaked from soybeans, corn, fish with biological products to replace the use of chemical fertilizers to reduce the phenomenon of calloused soil. .

According to Ms. Bac, although if calculated in detail, the cost and production of organic fertilizer by soaking method is relatively high, but the effect is long-term because "soil health" is improved. Longan products create more beautiful designs, when taking samples to test residues favorable, always meet the standards, thereby attracting businesses to purchase raw materials for export, the selling price of longan is highly increased.

“In order to cultivate safely and sustainably, the first factor must change people's perception. Because only when people are aware of the benefits that new farming techniques bring to health, economy and environment, they will voluntarily implement it.

However, when people voluntarily implement it, management agencies and businesses also need to actively support the consumption stage so that they realize that their investment in safe production is a trend that the whole society is facing towards, the value brought is higher than the traditional production method. From there, they will take care and invest more in the products they create.

Currently, it is a fact that consumers cannot distinguish between safe and mass-produced products, so quality products have not found a real position. The producer of that product realizes that the results obtained are not commensurate with the efforts and costs he has spent, so he is not determined to do it to the end, this needs to be resolved soon," emphasized Ms. Bac.

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Van The, Representative of Mien Thiet Longan Cooperative, Ham Tu commune (Khoai Chau, Hung Yen) shared: Currently, the cooperative is granted 3 area codes for the US, Japan, and Korea markets. In 2021, the cooperative will export 100 tons of longan to markets.

According to Mr. The, each market has a separate standard requirement for products, so the prerequisite for them to agree to import goods is to strictly follow the production process, especially the use of pesticides products.

Therefore, in order to do well in production according to safe processes, cooperatives need to have a clear delineation right from the start. Any production household that can ensure the conditions and technical factors for the production of products for export should ask to sign a contract to commit to output and quality...

Mr. The additional information: The cooperative is building 3 samples of owner-oriented longan, which is separate from the production area, completely used by biological pesticides, analyzing the owner of the establishment.

If calculating the details, the production cost is 10-15% higher than that of conventional production, but the benefits are huge and solid, such as: Guaranteeing normal land; de-polluted water source; Weight loss by pesticides and toxic distribution on products, safe for users' health...

“In the short term, I do well in this process, then I think about expanding. Safe production, the owner is a long road that requires maintenance, take every step firmly, hurry and eat right away”, said Mr. The.