Discussing fruit consumption solutions

ABO - On February 5, Chairman of Tien Giang People's Committee Le Van Huong chaired a meeting to discuss consumption solutions as well as to support agricultural products in the area.

Chairman of Tien Giang People's Committee Le Van Huong speaks at the meeting. Photo: ABO/SI NGUYEN

According to the Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province has 63,031 hectares of fruit trees. The total area of some large-sized fruit trees is on harvest as 18,500 hectares of fruit trees to meet demand after Tet. The expected output harvest in February and March is about 272,700 tons including 70,000 tons of durian, 45,100 tons of jackfruit, 34,000 tons of dragon fruit, 45,000 tons of pineapple, 22,700 tons of green grapefruit and 6,800 tons of Hoa Loc mango.

After Tet holiday, the consumption of some fruits is very difficult, especially those fruit export depend on the Chinese market such as dragon fruit, durian, jackfruit, watermelon, etc... Most orders from China has been canceled due to sanctions on the first days of the lunar year.

Currently, the price of red dragon fruit is only 4,000 - 5,000 VND/kg, down by 26,000 - 30,000 VND/kg compared before Tet; white flesh dragon fruit is 5,000 - 7,000 VND/kg, down by 5,000 - 10,000 VND/kg compared before Tet; other fruits such as durian, jackfruit, grapefruit, etc...decreased by 10,000 - 40,000 VND/kg compared before Tet. Even some gardeners cannot find traders to consume.

At the meeting, many large agricultural purchasing enterprises also presented difficulties in agricultural output. These enterprises propose that the province has a policy to support enterprises in purchasing cold storage for people to reduce output pressure on this occasion.

Speaking at the meeting, comrade Le Van Huong asked the Provincial Department of Finance to coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to prepare a written document to ask the ministries and central branches to support the collection purchasing as well as policies to help farmers and businesses reduce difficulties before falling agricultural prices and difficult output.

He also requested the specialized industry to immediately inventory the number and capacity of agricultural yards in the province, organizing trade promotion in potential countries like India; local newspapers and radio stations increased propaganda about the effectiveness of fruit consumption, building coping scenarios when the fruit of the province are congested, etc...

By SI NGUYEN – Translated by HUU CHI