The Tasty Treat That’s Raking in the Big Bucks: Khanh Hoa’s Durian Windfall

In about a month, Khanh Son durians from Khanh Hoa province will be in full season, but many traders have already arrived at the orchards to purchase the fruit. Khanh Son durians harvest much later than other regions, making them a popular choice for traders. Currently, durians are being purchased at prices ranging from 80,000 to over 100,000 VND per kg, a 15% increase compared to last year.

Mr. Mai Van Khang, 65, from Cam Khanh village, Son Lam commune, Khanh Son district, shared that his family cultivates almost 10 hectares of durians, expecting to earn over 1 billion VND per hectare. As a settler in the area, Mr. Khang and his family bravely invested in long-term crops with an initial loan of 400 million VND from Agribank. Their patience and hard work paid off, as the durian trees started bearing fruit after five years, providing the family with a valuable asset worth tens of billions of VND and stable jobs for many local workers.

According to Mr. Mai Van Khang, “I am the person who has borrowed the most from the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development in this district since the earlier times. I took out loans to buy land and machinery for agriculture, such as excavators and tractors. Where else could I get the capital? I didn’t have the money myself. This year, the average yield is about 15 tons per hectare, making us millionaires. Now, there are many rich people here. But they could only achieve this with the capital they borrowed.”

Mr. Mai Van Khang is just one of over 400 households who are customers of the Transaction Office of the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development in Khanh Son district. This is also the only commercial bank branch in this mountainous district, with outstanding loans of nearly 200 billion VND, mainly provided to local people for durian cultivation.

In the 2023 durian season, Khanh Son district is estimated to produce 15,000 tons of durians, with about 130 tons exported to China. There are five codes for durian-growing areas approved by the General Department of Customs of China, covering an area of nearly 130 hectares, accounting for 10% of the durian-harvesting area. Currently, the durian production in Khanh Son district is sold out as soon as it is harvested.

With their high quality and stable output, the authorities are now focusing on ensuring the reputation and brand value of Khanh Son durians.

Khanh Son district has a population of 27,000, with ethnic minorities accounting for 3/4 of the total population. In 2023, durians brought in revenues of over 1,000 billion VND for local farmers, with more than 150 ethnic minority households earning over 100 million VND each from durian cultivation. Taking advantage of preferential loans for agriculture and rural development, the district encourages people to grow durians in planned areas. By 2030, the district is expected to have 7,300 hectares of fruit trees, a more than 40% increase compared to the present.

The district also invites businesses to invest in agricultural product processing and wood processing in planned industrial clusters, taking advantage of the state’s preferential credit policies.

Mr. Dinh Van Dung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Khanh Son district, Khanh Hoa province, shared that durians have brought sweet fruits to the mountainous people. In 2023, the district saw the purchase of 500 new cars, and many households have escaped poverty and become well-off. Mr. Dinh Van Dung added that this year, for the third time, the district will organize the Khanh Son Fruit Festival, aiming to offer exciting experiences to visitors and showcase the region’s unique culture and people.

“We will communicate with every household to ensure that we serve our tourists with the utmost hospitality during the Khanh Son Fruit Festival. We are delighted that our people have achieved high economic incomes and improved their lives. This model will be replicated across the district to assist ethnic minority people and change their mindset about making a living,” said Mr. Dung.