A farmer in Tien Giang collects star apples (Photo: VNA)TienGiang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang aims to ship300 tonnes of star apples to the United States until the end of the 2018-2019crop, raising the shipment of the fruit to 400 tonnes, or three times comparedto the previous year.
This isthe second year Tien Giang has shipped fresh star apple to the US. To date, the province has exported more than 100tonnes of the fruit to the market.
TienGiang is home to about 450 ha of star apple, yielding up to 4,500 tonnes peryear, mainly in farms across the districts of Chau Thanh, Cai Lay and Cai Be.These farms grow over 100 hectares of the fruit which has been verified andlabelled with code stamps to trace its origin.
Vice headof the cultivation and plant protection sub-department of the province Vo VanMen said to ensure quality of star apple for the US market, competent agencieshave focused on technical transfer under GAP standards, food safety and traceof origin, as well as advised farmers to not use any herbicides prohibited inthe US.
The first batch of Vietnamese star apples arrivedin the US in December 2017, making Vietnam the first country licensed to sellfresh star apples to the demanding market, following years of negotiations,according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Star apple is among six Vietnamese fruitsallowed into the American market, together with litchi, longan, rambutan,dragon fruit, and mango.
Tien Giang boasts the country’s largest orchardarea with some 73,000 hectares, which yield around 1.4 million tonnes of fruitsa year.–VNA
This isthe second year Tien Giang has shipped fresh star apple to the US. To date, the province has exported more than 100tonnes of the fruit to the market.
TienGiang is home to about 450 ha of star apple, yielding up to 4,500 tonnes peryear, mainly in farms across the districts of Chau Thanh, Cai Lay and Cai Be.These farms grow over 100 hectares of the fruit which has been verified andlabelled with code stamps to trace its origin.
Vice headof the cultivation and plant protection sub-department of the province Vo VanMen said to ensure quality of star apple for the US market, competent agencieshave focused on technical transfer under GAP standards, food safety and traceof origin, as well as advised farmers to not use any herbicides prohibited inthe US.
The first batch of Vietnamese star apples arrivedin the US in December 2017, making Vietnam the first country licensed to sellfresh star apples to the demanding market, following years of negotiations,according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Star apple is among six Vietnamese fruitsallowed into the American market, together with litchi, longan, rambutan,dragon fruit, and mango.
Tien Giang boasts the country’s largest orchardarea with some 73,000 hectares, which yield around 1.4 million tonnes of fruitsa year.–VNA
VNA
