When we arrived at Huyen Hoi Township in Cang Long District, we could not ignore the green lemon orchard full of fruits next to the spacious new houses of the people. According to earlier reports, the cultivation of rice and coconuts was the main activity of local residents, but did not bring significant profits. This prompted them to look for new solutions, and the seedless lemon tree proved to be an out-of-the-box option.

Mr. Phan Duc Tai, director of Thanh Tri Seedless Lemon Cooperative, is a pioneer in the cultivation of this tree. He has done a lot of research on seedless lemons and explored export opportunities to Europe. By growing to international standards, the Thanh Tri Seedless Lemon Cooperative has created a link between farmers and exporters. The cooperative has signed a contract to export seedless lemons with a company in the Netherlands, an important European market, with a volume of goods of up to 100 tons per year.

Thanh Tri Seedless Lemon Cooperative conforms to the international GlobalGAP standard and participating farmers benefit from a price of VND 10,000 or more per kilogram of lemon. In addition, they enjoy incentives when they buy fertilizers and pesticides without intermediaries at preferential prices.

Mr. Phan Duc Tai said, “The seedless lemons have fruits that form clusters, the peel is thin, the water is less acidic and has no bitter taste. The seedless lemon is used as a drink with delicious flavor and excellent cooling effect, and hence it is very popular in the market. In order to improve business performance, the cooperative plans to expand its economic activities by combining garden, pond and barn models. In addition, we have worked with large companies to expand okra and papaya cultivation activities, creating more income for the members of the cooperative.”

The success of the Thanh Tri Seedless Lemon Cooperative has inspired other farmers. Recently, many households in Huyen Hoi township have switched from growing coconuts to growing seedless lemon trees. One of them is Mr. Nguyen Van Danh from the hamlet of Soc, who bought seeds from the cooperative and planted them on an area of ​​4,000 m2 of land.

Mr. Danh said the seedless lemon tree only needs proper care for about 17 months to bear fruit and the planting technique is also simpler than other trees. The sales price is stable at 20,000-30,000 VND/kg in the peak months, while the low price is also at 15,000-20,000 VND/kg. He can harvest once for two weeks and his annual income is about 400 million VND from 4 dong land for lemon cultivation (1 dong = 1,000 m2). The hardest part of growing lemons is harvesting, as picking the fruit requires hiring laborers for VND 200,000/person/day.

The success of cultivating seedless lemon trees in Huyen Hoi Township, Cang Long District, Tra Vinh Province is a prime example of Vietnamese farmers’ creativity and seizing opportunities. By working together, complying with international standards and expanding export markets, they have achieved success and created economic benefits for the community. This story not only proves the development potential of Vietnamese agriculture, but also contributes to the development of the national economy.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, an agricultural official of Huyen Hoi Township, also shared that the cooperative initially faced financial difficulties and was happy to receive VND 30 million in support from the Township People’s Committee. This has played an important role in promoting the development of the cooperative. Currently, Europe is the Cooperative’s main market and this success has increased the number of members of the Thanh Tri Seedless Lemon Cultivation Cooperative from the original 10 households to over 100 households.

At the same time, the planting area was expanded and new employment opportunities were created for local workers. The successful lemon cultivation model not only brings a high income to many households, but also contributes to improving the quality of life in the community. Farmers in the region have proven their ability to adapt to change and seize new opportunities to improve their lives. With the expansion of exports to Europe, Tra Vinh seedless lemon has confirmed its quality and reputation in the international market.