Searching of output for durian

Dak Lak has 12,000 ha of durians, an expected output of 103,000 tons being in the peak of harvest, but is currently facing many difficulties in output due to the impacts of Covid-19.

Dak Lak has about 5,300 ha of durian in the middle of harvesting at the moment. Photo: Quang Yen.

Enterprises suffer heavy losses

According to businesses purchasing durian in Dak Lak, due to the impact of the epidemic, these units are suffering heavy losses. Most businesses have fixed prices with farmers since the beginning of the season, but now the epidemic has led to a drop in prices by more than half.

Mr. Le Quang Tam, Director of Thien Tam Agricultural Products Trading Co., Ltd - Dak Lak branch shared that businesses are expected to buy about 5,000-6,000 tons of durian. However, the Covid-19 epidemic has made it difficult for them to bring workers and technicians from Tien Giang to Dak Lak to support purchasing and preliminary processing.

“Local workers are not qualified for the basic jobs. Therefore, the company asked the authorities to assist in bringing 40 technicians from Tien Giang province to Krong Pak district (Dak Lak province) to perform tasks in purchasing, preliminarily processing, packaging and exporting durians”, said Mr. Tam.

As stated by Mr. Tam, in addition to the problem regarding workers, the epidemic has also caused difficulties for export, resulting in enterprises building a frozen warehouse of more than VND 11 billion with a storage capacity of 300 tons. If the epidemic impacts make exports to China and Taiwan impossible, the units will let workers peel the fruits and then freeze them for consumption.

Similarly, according to Mr. Le Van Chien, Director of Krong Pak Fruit Cooperative, the unit has predicted that the epidemic situation would be complicated, so they invested in a warehouse to peel fruits for freezing. In Mr. Chien’s opinion, the goods have initially been circulated, but the Dak Lak durian output is very large, so there is a high possibility of a pileup. Therefore, investing in frozen storage will help people and businesses to gradually consume while they are unable to put the fruits out for sale.

Create a support zone to help with businesses’ purchases

According to the Krong Pak District Party Committee, the locality has just sent a document to the Standing Board of the Dak Lak Provincial Party Committee to report the durian production and business situation in the district and request the province to direct the People's Committee, relevant departments and agencies to pay more attention and support local consumption and sustainable development of durian.

As stated by Mr. Vo Tan Huy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cu Kuin district, the People's Committee of the district is currently creating conditions for traders to enter non-blocked areas to buy durians for the people that got the locality implemented disease-control measures so as not to bring the disease outside.

“The locality will create a support zone to help people bring agricultural products out and sell them to traders. Traders coming for purchases must also have a Covid-19 negative test certificate", Mr. Vo Tan Huy added.

The People's Committee of Dak Lak province proposed the MARD and the MoIT to support the connection with trading platforms, instruct the implementation of marketing activities in the digital environment, and put the province's avocado and durian products on e-commerce platforms.

The People's Committee also required help in connecting to associations, large distribution businesses to promote avocado and durian consumption and support in providing complete and timely information on the market, prices, and agro-products consumption policies of the State; at the same time supporting and creating favorable conditions for Dak Lak province in the transportation and circulation of goods through and to other provinces and cities nationwide…