Members of An Phu Agricultural Cooperative, Chieng An Ward, share experiences in growing and caring for red-fleshed dragon fruit. Photo: Truong Son

 

Son La currently has over 300 hectares of red-fleshed dragon fruit, concentrated in the communes of Mai Son, Binh Thuan, Ta Hoc, Chieng Mung, Thuan Chau, Sop Cop, Yen Chau and Chieng An ward.

Of which, the production area according to VietGAP and organic standards reaches more than 240 hectares. In 2025, the total output of the province will reach about 5,000 tons of fruit.

These days, dragon fruit growers are busy harvesting. In Ta Hoc commune, Nguyen Thanh Liem's ​​family is harvesting the fourth crop. On an area of ​​2 hectares grown organically, he expects to harvest about 15 tons of fruit this season.

“Since the beginning of the season, the price has been stable. Thanks to fertilization with organic fertilizers and biological pesticides, the dragon fruit is shiny, has a rich sweet taste, and is favored by the market," Mr. Liem shared.

Farmers in Binh Thuan commune introduce red-fleshed dragon fruit products to customers via social media platforms. Photo: Truong Son

 

In Chieng Coi commune, this year's harvest began at the end of June, with favorable weather conditions helping dragon fruit to flower and bear fruit, with a high fruit set rate and beautiful appearance. On the tree pillars, which are bright red, traders flock to the garden to buy at an average price of 14,000 - 20,000 VND/kg.

The family of Ms. Bui Thi Hoa in Cao Son village (Chieng Mung commune) is harvesting red-fleshed dragon fruit. Her garden has more than 5,000 dragon fruit pillars, invested in a drip irrigation system, covered with anti-weed tarps, and cared for using organic techniques to increase productivity.

“This year, traders placed orders early so we can take care of them with peace of mind. This year the fruit is beautiful, the price is stable, and the output is good, so people are very excited,” said Ms. Hoa.

In Sop Cop commune, red-fleshed dragon fruit, although newly introduced for trial planting, has brought about clear economic efficiency.

Mr. Tong Van Thien (Ban village, Sop Cop commune) said that at first he only planted a few dozen dragon fruit trees in the ineffective field, but now he has expanded the garden scale, harvesting more than 4 tons of fruit/year.

“I learned techniques from other regions, know how to prune and fertilize properly. Dragon fruit trees are not difficult to care for, have few pests and diseases, and produce many harvests a year, so they are very effective,” Thien shared.

People in Binh Thuan commune harvest red-fleshed dragon fruit in the main season. Photo: Truong Son

 

Ms. Hoang Thi Thuan (Huoi Khang village, Sop Cop commune) is also one of the households earning high profits thanks to dragon fruit. In 2024, from 1 hectare of red-fleshed dragon fruit garden, she earned more than 200 million VND. According to her, thanks to choosing the right varieties, applying VietGAP and organic farming, her family's products are always trusted by customers.

At Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Service Cooperative, Ta Hoc commune, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh - Director of the Cooperative - said that the unit is cooperating with nearly 200 households to grow red-fleshed dragon fruit, of which 70 hectares meet export standards.

“Since the beginning of the season, we have exported more than 150 tons of dragon fruit to foreign markets. The entire 70 hectares of dragon fruit are grown according to VietGAP standards and are assigned a growing area code, making it easier to trace the origin and increase the value of the product,” Mr. Vinh shared.

 

Selecting dragon fruit to package for sale to traders. Photo: Truong Son

 

According to Mr. Vu Duc Thuan - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Son La province, Son La dragon fruit has now affirmed its reputation and quality, and is exported to many markets such as China, Japan, Korea, Russia... with strict control requirements on growing areas and cultivation processes.

In addition to technical factors, branding for Son La dragon fruit has also achieved many positive results. In August 2024, the certification mark “Son La Dragon Fruit” was officially licensed by the Department of Intellectual Property. To date, five cooperatives have been allowed to use the mark on product packaging.

“Certified labels not only help confirm product quality but also create competitive advantages and expand consumption and export markets,” said Mr. Thuan.

Red-fleshed dragon fruit, from experimental crops, has become a key crop providing sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of households in the mountainous areas of Son La.