Unveiling Exotic Melon Cultivars: Live Streaming from the Fields, Securing Orders Nonstop

A Unique Approach

After graduating from university, Chu Van Quan (born in 1985, residing in Kim Lien commune, Nghe An province) returned to his hometown to start a clean agricultural venture. His biggest challenge wasn’t cultivation techniques but finding a market for his produce. His farm grows a variety of crops, including watermelons and papayas, yielding dozens of tons per season. However, during harvest, prices often plummet, sales slow down, and profits become unpredictable.

This year, despite the region’s “bumper harvest, price drop” scenario, Quan’s watermelon fields sold consistently, quickly, and at higher prices. His secret began with choosing the golden-fleshed watermelon variety—known for its thin rind, vibrant color, crisp texture, and sweetness, which is highly favored by consumers.

“Lam River’s alluvial soil produces delicious watermelons, but growing common varieties makes it hard to stand out,” Quan explains. Therefore, he opted for golden-fleshed watermelons, cultivated using VietGAP standards, minimizing pesticide use. Notably, he avoids mass harvesting, instead dividing the harvest into smaller batches to ensure each fruit reaches optimal ripeness and sweetness, preventing oversupply.

Beyond crop selection and cultivation, Quan boldly integrated technology into his sales strategy. From the start of the season, he regularly filmed cultivation diaries, updating the process from flowering to fruiting and care, allowing viewers to follow the watermelon’s growth. At harvest, instead of relying on traders, he used social media to create his own sales channel.

Amidst the lush green watermelon fields, he set up his phone for livestreams, showcasing the cultivation process and cutting open watermelons for taste tests. This allowed customers to witness the product’s quality firsthand—from the rind’s color to the flesh’s ripeness, crispness, and sweetness. “Customers see everything clearly and ask questions directly, so they feel confident. Many place orders right on the stream,” Quan shares.

Each livestream attracts hundreds of viewers, with orders pouring in continuously, from individual buyers to wholesalers. Notably, in some sessions, Quan collaborates with TikTokers and “hot streamers” to co-host livestreams on social media. Thanks to this, orders come not only from Nghe An but also from Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and more. “Sharing the story of the watermelon and the fields builds trust and drives sales,” he says.

From Uncertainty to Market Control

According to Quan, applying science and technology in agriculture produces high-quality, high-yield crops. However, the biggest challenge for farmers remains market access: who to sell to, at what price, and how to maintain a stable market. “That’s why I created YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook channels for livestreaming, introducing, and selling agricultural products directly to customers,” he explains.

Additionally, he regularly posts videos about rural life, clean production processes, and invites foreign guests to experience farming. As a result, his channels quickly gained hundreds of thousands of followers, with some sessions selling tons of watermelons in just a few hours.

Quan doesn’t just sell for his own family; he also livestreams to support local farmers. Seeing a neighbor’s beautiful watermelon field struggling to find buyers, he films it, highlights its quality, and connects traders directly to the farm. Some days, he livestreams from 3–4 locations, selling several tons of watermelons per site. In one night, dozens of tons are collected directly from the fields, helping farmers recover their season.

Beyond social media, Quan drives a small truck to deliver watermelons to cities, selling at local markets, mini-supermarkets, and clean food stores. He also builds a network of online sales agents across multiple provinces. “Farming today requires not only cultivation skills but also sales expertise. Being transparent, authentic, and genuine in filming and selling will naturally attract customers,” Quan advises.

While many watermelon fields in Nghe An face “market access challenges,” with prices dropping and traders scarce, Quan’s watermelons sell at 2–3 times the market rate. His success stems from combining suitable varieties, clean cultivation, high-quality products, digital technology, and flexible sales strategies.

Through clean cultivation and digital transformation, Chu Van Quan has pioneered a new path for his hometown’s agricultural products, empowering watermelon farmers to navigate market fluctuations more confidently.