Tien Giang’s fruit export volume in the first quarter of the year were valued at 20.3 per cent higher than the same period last year. — VNA Photo Minh Tri

The southern province of Tien Giang exported 1,920 tonnes of fruit in the first quarter with US$3.9 million in turnover, a 20.3 per cent increase in value year-on-year.

Aside from China, Tien Giang’s raw and processed fruit products are also sold to markets such as Europe, the US, Japan and Korea.

Many challenges, however, face the province’s fruit industry, as the COVID-19 pandemic is hampering demand.

The provincial People’s Committee has instructed departments and districts to work with businesses on solutions to facilitate produce purchasing and exporting.

Businesses and organisations such as the Big C supermarket chain and My Tinh An Commune dragon fruit co-operative group have taken part in the province’s programme to increase fruit purchases.

The province is focusing on hi-tech applications, smart agriculture, and improvement of its network of 130 agriculture co-operative groups to foster sustainable value chains.

Tien Giang is a key agricultural production province in the Mekong Delta. It has over 79,000 hectares of land for growing numerous kinds of fruit, producing over 1.49 million tonnes of fruit annually.

Many of its fruits have received certificates of geographical indication and are favoured by domestic and foreign customers. — VNS