Farmers in Yen Chau District harvest mangos for export. The first batch of three tonnes of mangoes from the district in Son La Province were packed on June 19 for export to the UK. — VNA/VNS Photo Huu Quyet

The first batch of three tonnes of mangoes, grown in Yen Chau District in the northern mountainous province of Son La, were packaged on June 19 for export to the UK.

Ha Van Son, director of the Chieng Hac Agricultural Cooperative in Yen Chau, said a total of seven tonnes will be shipped to the UK this month.

To meet export requirements, the co-operative has 14ha growing mangoes under VietGap standards, with an estimated yield of 200 tonnes for export.

Previously, Yen Chau mangoes have been sold mainly in the domestic market and exported to mainland China, he said.

Seeing the potential to export to more countries, Yen Chau growers have applied international cultivation standards to meet strict criteria of import markets.

Son La has 15,700ha of mango farms which are expected to yield 35,500 tonnes, including 7,500 tonnes eligible for export.

In the first half of this year, the province shipped nearly 3,000 tonnes of mangoes abroad.

Son La is the fifth locality in the country following Dong Thap, Vinh Long, An Giang and Tien Giang and the first in the north to export mangoes to high-potential markets like the UK.

Vietnamese mangoes have been exported to 40 countries and territories worldwide, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, the EU, Australia, the US and Canada.

It is the sixth fruit from Viet Nam to be exported to the US after dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, lychee and star apple. — VNS