Three-color mangoes and other branding efforts

Vietnam is exporting six tonnes of mangoes to Australia for the first time. In addition to dragon fruit, mangoes are considered to have great export potential. Therefore, promoting branding for mangoes will help increase their export value.

Weak competition

As one of the main export fruits and being licensed in many markets such as Japan, Australia, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand, Vietnamese mangoes have great export potential and advantages. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Plant Protection Department, Vietnamese mangoes are sweet and succulent, as well as available throughout the year.

But like many other fruits and agricultural products, the weakness of mangoes is in lack of a strong brand. For example, according to the Dong Nai Department of Industry and Trade, Australia and Japan have allowed the import of Vietnamese grown mango. However it has not been able to export to these potential markets and mango exports have largely been dependent on the Chinese market.

Foreign markets have increasingly set higher standards for mango imports. If Vietnam does not immediately implement source traceability and promote branding, mangoes will have a hard time finding a niche in foreign markets.

Nguyen Hoang Thuy, chief trade representative of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia, says mangoes meeting export standards must ensure such criteria as being irradiated with a minimum dose of 400 Gy at a treatment facility approved by a competent Vietnamese authority. In addition, batches of mangoes must be free of insects and disease, and not contaminated by leaves, twigs, soil, debris, and other plants, meaning that they must be safely packed before irradiation. Foreign markets are increasingly demanding higher standards and quality products. Therefore, branding is one of the simplest identification methods, helping consumers feel safe about products.

Efforts to promote branding

To make the most of export opportunities, many localities are making greater efforts to promote branding in order to improve the value of mangoes. For example, the An Giang People’s Committee issued Decision 2804/QD-UBND approving a research project on building a cultivation process of three-color mangoes in accordance with VietGAP standards. To date, An Giang Province’s Cho Moi District has 135ha of three-color mangoes following VietGAP standards. The Cho Moi-An Giang GAP Fruit Cooperative was established at the beginning of 2017, opening a new direction in mango production and consumption.

Driving production towards the highest standards, Tra Vinh Province is also trying to encourage businesses and cooperatives to implement GlobalGAP standards. Cat Hoa Loc mangoes produced at the Long Son Farm in Tra Vinh Province’s Cau Ngang District were officially recognized as adhering to GlobalGAP standards. Thanks to GlobalGAP standards, the Long Son Farm has signed contracts to export mangoes to Europe.

Dong Nai Province has adopted many programs to encourage farmers to meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards in mango growing. According to the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province has nearly 60ha of VietGAP and GlobalGAP-certified mangoes.

Localities are also making greater efforts to develop geographical indications. For example, to promote branding for Cam Lam mangoes, Khanh Hoa Province and Cam Lam District have adopted policies and programs to support farmers in mango production. In April 2016, the Cam Lam District People’s Committee was granted a certificate of trademark registration for Cam Lam mangoes.

Promoting branding for mangoes has been actively implemented by localities. Thanks to branding, the export value of mangoes will further increase, resulting in larger export turnover of fruits and vegetables in the whole year.