Dong Thap (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on April 13 held a ceremony to mark the export of its first batch of pomelos to Australia, opening a new chapter for the locality’s fruit sector.

The event was jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee and Blue Ocean Import-Export JSC.

Speaking at the ceremony, Le Chi Thien, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said Dong Thap currently has about 4,364 hectares of pomelo cultivation, with an annual output exceeding 65,000 tonnes. The province has been granted 23 growing areas with 31 planting codes covering 470.85 hectares. Of these, 16 growing areas with 22 codes are eligible for export to demanding markets such as the US and the Republic of Korea.

Notably, Dong Thap has now secured its first pomelo growing area that meets export requirements for Australia, facilitated by Blue Ocean Import-Export JSC. This milestone is expected to serve as a foundation for expanding market access in the coming period.

Thien called on businesses to continue supporting farmers, ensuring stable market outlets while strengthening linkages across the value chain. He stressed that only through close coordination and harmonised interests among stakeholders can the pomelo sector achieve sustainable development.

Pham Thi Ngoc Thach, General Director of Blue Ocean Import-Export JSC, said exports are not merely commercial transactions but also a testament to the quality and reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products. She affirmed the company’s commitment to working alongside farmers to improve production standards, develop export-qualified raw material zones in Dong Thap, and expand into high-end international markets beyond Australia.

At the event, Hoang Mai Van Anh, National Coordinator of the GQSP project under the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), highlighted that technical experts from the programme, in coordination with the Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology, had closely supported enterprises in preparing this shipment. The first export to Australia not only opens up new market opportunities but also underscores the strong potential of Vietnam’s fruit industry to enhance added value, build brands and integrate more deeply into global value chains.

Exporting to Australia, she added, carries significance beyond trade, demonstrating the sector’s growing capacity to meet stringent international standards, building on experience gained from accessing high-end markets such as the US and Europe.

Authorities urged localities, enterprises, cooperatives and producers to continue refining packaging and treatment processes, strictly follow Australia’s import requirements and technical guidelines, maintain planting area and packing facility codes, and strengthen coordination with quarantine agencies to ensure quality across all stages.

Representing producers, Tran Thanh Phong, Director of the My Phong Agricultural Service Cooperative, said the Australian market imposes strict quality requirements, prompting the cooperative to invest heavily in meeting standards. She expressed confidence that Dong Thap pomelos will continue improving quality to strengthen the reputation of Vietnamese fruits in global markets.

On the occasion, Blue Ocean signed a cooperation agreement with the My Phong Cooperative to develop high-quality pomelo raw material areas serving the Australian market./.