Many peaceful villages in Cam Lâm and Suối Dầu communes are surrounded by the lush greenery of mango orchards. For many years, mangoes have been a signature sweet fruit associated with Khánh Hòa. However, current challenges in consumption have had a significant impact on farmers’ livelihoods.
The area formerly belonging to Cam Lâm District is considered the “mango capital” of Khánh Hòa. It is home to many varieties such as Canh Nong, Tu Quy, and Hoa Loc mangoes. During the harvest season, the entire region becomes bustling as traders flock to purchase the fruit. In addition to cultivating sweet and fragrant mango varieties, local farmers have also embraced the Australian mango variety.
Australian mangoes were introduced to Khánh Hòa in 2000 by John Ed. Morton from Australia. After five years, the variety adapted well to the climate conditions of Cam Lâm, Suối Dầu, and Cam Ranh. It gradually became a key crop and contributed to the reputation of Khánh Hòa’s mango brand. Notably, this variety requires relatively low production costs, is easy to cultivate, has good resistance to pests and drought, produces fruit consistently, and delivers stable yields. Its attractive shape, vibrant color, and delicious taste have also made it popular in both domestic and international markets.
According to Mr. Phan Ngọc Triển from Tân Lập Village, Cam Lâm Commune, he and many other farmers have considered mango trees as a “close companion” since their early years. During the dry season, the trees provide shade and sweet fruit, while in the rainy season, they help protect the soil and reduce erosion. Recalling the “golden era” of the mango-growing region, Mr. Triển and several farmers in Cam Lâm said Australian mangoes developed strongly in the area around 2005. In the early years, the crop generated high economic returns, with each fruit weighing between 0.7 and 1 kg and selling for VND 40,000–50,000 per kg. As a result, the cultivation area expanded rapidly.
According to orchard owners, during years when mango prices were high, many farmers started harvesting from early morning and continued until sunset. The region’s mangoes were supplied to wholesale markets and supermarkets across many provinces and cities nationwide. “High income from fruit farming allowed farmers to build houses, buy televisions, motorbikes, and other valuable assets to improve their living standards,” Mr. Triển recalled.
However, the period of consistently high mango prices has passed. Over the past three years, production and care costs for mango orchards have increased by 10–15% each season. Meanwhile, selling prices have remained unchanged, forcing many farmers to seek additional jobs to supplement their income. Mr. Nguyễn Thành Tâm took visitors through his large orchard. Looking at the heavily fruit-laden trees and hundreds of ripe mangoes scattered beneath them, he sadly said: “Selling one ton of mangoes now earns less than VND 2 million. However, harvesting one ton requires three workers for an entire day. Labor costs, meals, and transportation already consume about VND 2 million. Therefore, many people have to harvest by themselves instead of hiring workers, or simply leave the fruit to fall.”
Currently, the communes of Cam Lâm, Suối Dầu, Cam Hiệp, Cam An, and others have more than 6,500 hectares of mango cultivation. The area includes many local mango trees that are nearly a century old. The entire region produces more than 40,000 tons of mangoes annually. Many mature trees can yield 3–4 tons per crop. However, traders are increasingly less interested in purchasing the fruit. In addition, traders mainly select Grade 1 mangoes, which account for only around 20% of total output. Meanwhile, Grade 2 and Grade 3 products are mostly sold domestically. As a result, farmers in the mango-growing region often struggle to find stable markets. Ms. Lê Thị Thanh shared: “We still have regular buyers who collect mangoes here for distribution. However, over the past two years, consumption has slowed because consumers now have more choices of fruits. Moreover, unstable prices have caused many traders to switch to other products such as plums and apples.”
“Throughout the entire mango cultivation process, especially when the fruit is developing, we avoid excessive use of pesticides. We only provide sufficient irrigation every day and focus on maintaining good fruit appearance. However, prices do not always reflect our efforts. The golden era of mango farming truly seems to be over,” Mr. Võ Xuân Hiển from Suối Dầu Commune said with regret.
Another piece of bad news for Cam Lâm residents is that a significant portion of their mango-growing area will have to make way for urban development projects. Sharing the concerns of local farmers, Mr. Phan Trịnh Minh Tân, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune and Chairman of the Cam Lâm Commune Farmers’ Association, said: “According to the development plan, the Cam Lâm area will allocate land for urban expansion, leaving only certain areas for mango cultivation. Some farmers will be encouraged to shift to service and tourism-related occupations. We will also propose that higher authorities identify new areas suitable for mango cultivation, while finding solutions to increase exports to international markets.”
With a deep love for his hometown and mango trees, Mr. Đặng Thế Truyền (35), Director of CamlamOnline Joint Stock Company, has devoted significant efforts to further enhancing the brand value of Khánh Hòa mangoes. After working in the city for a period of time, Mr. Truyền returned home and established social media channels to review local dining and entertainment destinations. However, he realized that the biggest challenge was the lack of a distinctive local product that could be promoted to a wider audience of visitors. Witnessing piles of fallen mangoes under trees and farmers struggling to find buyers, while consumers in cities had to pay high prices for the fruit, motivated him to build a stronger mango brand.
Mr. Truyền shared: “Currently, our company is collaborating with farmers to support cultivation and purchase mangoes from around 100 hectares. We are making efforts to maintain growing areas for farmers, and we have developed products such as dried mangoes, mango juice, mango wine, and mango candies. All of these products meet quality standards. We are also connecting with several large processing factories in southern Vietnam to expand production and increase mango purchases from farmers during peak harvest periods.”
In addition, Mr. Truyền has cooperated with farmers who own large, accessible mango orchards, as well as people with experience in tourism, to develop agricultural and experiential tourism tours. These tours bring domestic and international visitors directly to orchards to enjoy local specialties. Visitors can also learn more about the unique characteristics of ancient mango gardens and the historical stories associated with the mango-growing region. They can purchase both fresh mangoes at the farms and processed mango products.
Surrounding the mango capital are destinations such as Thủy Triều Lagoon, Hòn Bà Mountain, and Bãi Dài Beach, creating opportunities for farmers and tourism operators to combine agricultural experiences with local tourism development. In Cam Lâm, several establishments are already participating in organizing tourism tours, including Mango Cát Tiên Travel, Anh Vương Orchard, and Sơn Hiển Orchard. Orchard owners and tourism businesses hope that financial institutions will provide loan support to expand the production of mango-based products. At the same time, they expect authorities to strengthen trade promotion activities and help the brand reach wider markets. Mr. Trần Lê Hòa, Director of Mango Cát Tiên Travel, expressed his concerns: “The cycle of bumper crops followed by falling prices has never stopped affecting farmers. We must transform ourselves, find ways to rescue the mango brand, and make more effective use of existing cultivation areas.”
In 2025, amid declining mango prices, the Khánh Hòa Provincial People’s Committee instructed relevant agencies to seek solutions to support farmers. On May 15, 2025, the Khánh Hòa Department of Agriculture and Environment issued Official Letter No. 2989/SNNMT-PTNT. The letter requested agriculture and environment departments in other provinces and cities to coordinate in promoting, introducing, and connecting the consumption of Khánh Hòa Australian mango products with consumers, mango processing enterprises, supermarket chains, wholesale markets, and other distribution channels.
However, achieving sustainable development requires more effective solutions rather than relying solely on short-term “rescue” measures. Mr. Nguyễn Thành Luân, Vice Chairman of the Cam Lâm Commune Farmers’ Association, said: “In 2026, productivity is expected to reach around 7 tons per hectare, but mango prices dropped sharply right from the beginning of the season, while consumption remained slow. To provide timely support for farmers, the locality has worked to sign agreements with businesses inside and outside the province to promote and sell the products. However, consumption volume remains limited.”
In the coming period, the locality will continue signing cooperation agreements under the principle of “authorities and businesses standing side by side with farmers.” Enterprises will take greater responsibility for product purchasing, promotion, and market development. Farmers and business owners hope to receive timely and effective support solutions to ensure the sustainable development of this mango-growing region.
Vietnamese source: https://nhandan.vn/tran-tro-vung-xoai-post969876.html
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