Hoa Binh Province targets sustainable global markets of Vietnamese exported sugarcane

The province of Hoa Binh has implemented a project to replace traditional purple sugarcane varieties with tissue-culture propagation techniques. This approach has delivered significant economic benefits for farmers. The new planting method produces higher yields, improved quality, and more attractive product appearance compared to conventional varieties. With tissue-cultured purple sugarcane, profits per hectare can reach VND 50–70 million higher than traditional cultivation methods. As a result, the province has gradually taken steps toward Vietnamese exported sugarcane to international markets.

Currently, Hoa Binh province has a total sugarcane cultivation area of 7,130 hectares. The crop has an average yield of 72 tons per hectare, with total output reaching 513,185 tons. Of this, more than 6,000 hectares are dedicated to Vietnam’s fresh sugarcane for direct consumption.

Several key fresh sugarcane production zones with high quality and strong local branding have been formed in districts such as Cao Phong, Tan Lac, Lac Son, and Kim Boi. The farm-gate price of commercial sugarcane has remained relatively stable and at a high level in recent years. This has generated an average income of VND 200–250 million per hectare. In 2021–2022, Hoa Binh exported 87 tons of white sugarcane to the EU and South Korea. Additionally, it planned to export an additional 300 tons by the end of 2022.

Vietnamese exported sugarcane

In the coming years, the province’s agriculture sector aims to further promote exports of high-quality local agricultural products, including Vietnamese exported sugarcane. However, to develop a sustainable raw material zone for fresh sugarcane that can meet the demands of Vietnam’s export enterprises, Hoa Binh must implement a well-structured roadmap. It must also apply advanced technologies throughout cultivation, harvesting, and processing to comply with strict food safety regulations in international markets.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuc is the Chairman of the Board and CEO of FUSA Organic Agriculture JSC (Hai Duong). He said Vietnamese exported sugarcane must meet strict food safety standards. Product quality must be consistent, and farmers’ cultivation practices must follow standardized procedures.

He also noted that Hoa Binh’s white sugarcane currently lacks a strong brand identity. Therefore, it is necessary to build a geographical indication and brand for white sugarcane. It is also important to develop sufficient cold storage capacity to preserve raw materials for export.

Vice Chairman of Hoa Binh Provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Dinh Cong Su, has instructed relevant departments and agencies to strengthen coordination and support localities, enterprises, and cooperatives. These efforts aim to enhance the value of sugarcane, increase farmers’ incomes, and develop sustainable raw material zones. He emphasized the need to organize production planning by season and clearly define cultivation areas, structure, and varieties to maintain stable planting areas.

Vietnamese sugarcane harvest

He also called for balancing the areas of purple and white sugarcane to meet market demand. In addition, he recommended researching techniques for staggered planting. He also emphasized the need to ensure stable domestic consumption, expand export markets, and accelerate tissue-culture research for white sugarcane. The goal is to gradually replace all purple sugarcane varieties with tissue-cultured varieties across the province.

In addition, he stressed the importance of mobilizing investment in processing and cold storage infrastructure to produce frozen sugarcane and bottled sugarcane juice. He also emphasized strengthening linkages between cooperatives and enterprises to expand markets and promote fresh sugarcane exports.