Currently, farmers have started the harvest season of carrots for exports. The good news for them is that Korea, one of Vietnam’s main carrot export markets, has officially reopened.
Since January, carrots have been exported to Korea, Japan, some Southeast Asian countries, and the Middle East. (Photo: Internet)
At this time, farmers in many growing areas have started the main harvest of carrots and brought them to Duc Chinh commune (Cam Giang) for preliminary processing and packaging before export.
POSITIVE SIGNAL
From the end of December 2022, carrot farms in Thai Binh and Bac Ninh provinces began to harvest. Trucks carrying carrots everywhere were brought to Duc Chinh commune. This is the busiest time of the year in the carrot farm of Hai Duong.
The agricultural processing plant of Duc Chinh Agricultural Service Cooperative – one of the plants with the largest capacity is always busy. Every day, nearly 30 tonnes of carrots from many places come here. The carrots covered with mud and soil are put into the automatic washing line, then workers will sort them out by size and quality, then pack them. More than 200 tonnes of carrots have been shipped to domestic wholesale markets. Since the beginning of January, the Cooperative has received many export orders to Malaysia, Laos, and Korea with an output of over 100 tonnes.
This year, the winter comes late but there are many cold days so carrots are harvested later than the previous year. Mainly carrots grown outside the province are for consumption. Local farmers have just started harvesting carrots. The purchasing price of carrots in the field is from 5,000 to 6,000 VND/kg, down half compared with the same period last year. Production in some areas decreased due to heavy rain at the beginning of the season. However, the production of main-season carrots still reached 1.7-1.8 tonnes, equivalent to the same period last year. According to traders, carrot prices are low because China is now also harvesting carrots.
Carrots are harvested late so exports are also later. From the beginning of January, businesses began to receive export orders from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Middle East countries. By January 8, the volume of carrots for exports in Duc Chinh commune reached about 300 tonnes.
Korea is one of the main export markets for Vietnamese carrots. In the winter crop of 2021-2022, the carrot consumption here was about 100,000 tonnes, of which mainly carrots of Hai Duong. For this market, pest and disease control is so important. On December 21, 2022, Korea officially removed the import ban on some Vietnamese agricultural products, including carrots. Previously, in early October 2022, Korea detected radopholus similis nematodes in monstera trees originating from Vietnam and announced restrictions on the import of plants originating from Vietnam country, including carrots. The ban was removed at the beginning of the harvest season, which is a good sign for the carrot-growing regions of Hai Duong.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Thuat, Director of Duc Chinh Agricultural Service Cooperative, said: “As soon as Korea removed the import ban, there were nearly 10 Korean enterprises directly surveyed and signed contracts to purchase carrots instead of through domestic export enterprises. This is the first time that many Korean businesses have come directly to buy carrots from Hai Duong. This proves that the quality of the province’s carrots has been confirmed in the international market. ”
Farmers comply with the requirements of cultivation by VietGAP , so most carrots meet export standards. (Photo: Internet)
QUALITY CONTROL
In recent years, the quality of carrots in Hai Duong has been stable. Although Korea has announced restrictions on carrot imports due to nematode infection, Hai Duong’s carrots are still exported to other countries and there is no batch detected radopholus similis nematodes.
Most carrot growing areas are produced under VietGAP standards, meeting export requirements, including difficult markets such as Europe. Instead of abusing fertilizers and pesticides as before, most farmers now follow the guidelines of the agricultural industry. Residues of pesticides, especially nematodes and Hexaconazole residues in carrots are strictly controlled. This helps businesses become secure in purchasing carrots for exports, and at the same time, protects Hai Duong’s carrot brand.
Mr. Nguyen Van Sanh in Dan Trang village, Duc Chinh commune is a carrot grower. For many years, his family’s carrot area has been purchased by businesses for exports. Mr. Sanh said: “This year, there are some areas of early harvested carrots affected by heavy rain, so the yield is reduced. However, the main seasoned carrots still bring a stable output.”
Hai Duong currently has about 1,500 ha of carrots with an expected output of about 80,000 tonnes. Besides, farmers rent thousands of ha of land in other provinces to grow carrots. The harvest time starts at the end of December 2022, but mostly after the Lunar New Year holiday, the harvest season becomes busy. About 70-80% of the province’s carrots are for exports. The main export markets are Korea, Japan, some Southeast Asian countries, the Middle East, etc.
Ms. Luong Thi Kiem, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that although markets have opened and exports have been favorable, farmers must strictly control pesticide residues and diseases.
“We must ensure the best product quality as well as the control of diseases, not infecting the importing countries. This is a long-term problem that farmers and the agricultural sector of the province must handle to increase their brand name in the international market, ” said Ms. Kiem./.