From its challenging early trials, red-fleshed dragon fruit has taken root and established itself as a promising crop in Sơn La Province. Through a well-organized growing area management model, Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative has steadily improved product quality. This has enabled its dragon fruit to meet export standards.
According to Sơn La Newspaper, the first impression upon visiting Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative is its lush orchards filled with vibrant red dragon fruit ready for harvest. However, the journey to establish this crop in Sơn La Province was far from easy.
Recalling the cooperative’s early days, Nguyễn Quang Vinh, Director of Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative, said: “In 2008, I boldly introduced dragon fruit for trial cultivation. However, due to limited cultivation techniques and the lack of suitable varieties, the plants flowered but produced poor fruit set. The fruits were small, yields were low, and economic returns were disappointing. As a result, I had to remove 400 dragon fruit posts covering an area of 5,000 square meters.”
Undeterred by this initial setback, Vinh seized a new opportunity in 2011, when the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute launched a trial program for red-fleshed dragon fruit varieties in Sơn La. His family participated by planting one hectare with several varieties, including Long Định 1, Long Định 2, N04, N05, TN4, and TN5. Thanks to perseverance and the adoption of suitable varieties and cultivation techniques, the trial delivered outstanding yields and fruit quality.
As production expanded, Vinh realized that sustainable growth could not be achieved through fragmented farming. To develop a concentrated production area and strengthen cooperation among growers, he established Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative in March 2016 with 11 founding members. Since then, the cooperative has served as a hub for organizing production, transferring cultivation technologies, coordinating product marketing, and gradually building the local dragon fruit brand.
The cooperative model has generated significant economic benefits for its members. Đỗ Danh Nhất, from Nà Hường Village, Tà Hộc Commune, has been with the cooperative since its establishment and now cultivates 1.5 hectares of dragon fruit with approximately 2,000 plants. He said: “By joining the cooperative, my family received technical training and support. This included off-season fruit production techniques that have significantly increased both yields and product value. Each year, we harvest between 50 and 60 tonnes of dragon fruit. After deducting production costs, our annual profit reaches around VND 350–400 million, far exceeding the returns from other crops.”
From just a few hectares at the outset, the cooperative has, over the past decade, expanded its growing area by partnering with local farmers to cultivate nearly 300 hectares of red-fleshed dragon fruit across Sơn La Province. The production area is concentrated in Tà Hộc, Chiềng Mung, Bình Thuận, and Chiềng Sơn communes. Each year, the cooperative supplies 10,000–12,000 tonnes of dragon fruit to the market. This has created a large-scale production zone with standardized cultivation practices.
Beyond expanding cultivation, the cooperative has become a vital link between farmers and the market. Members receive training in VietGAP and GlobalGAP production standards, maintain production records, manage growing area codes, implement traceability systems, and strictly comply with food safety regulations. Currently, the cooperative maintains nearly 7 hectares of dragon fruit certified under VietGAP. It also manages two export-approved growing area codes covering 80 hectares, with an annual production capacity of approximately 1,200 tonnes for export to China and Europe.
The cooperative has also established a well-organized and fully integrated post-harvest process for export. Dragon fruit is systematically sorted, cleaned, inspected for quality, labeled with traceability codes, and packed in accordance with international export standards. These efforts have enabled the cooperative’s products to meet the stringent requirements of overseas buyers.
Speaking about the cooperative’s development strategy, Nguyễn Quang Vinh, Director of Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative, said: “We always prioritize quality over quantity. Every stage—from variety selection and cultivation to harvesting, post-harvest handling, and packaging—is carried out under standardized procedures. This ensures that every dragon fruit reaches consumers in the best possible condition.”
To date, the cooperative has exported thousands of tonnes of dragon fruit to markets including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Italy, and China. The model has not only generated substantial economic benefits for its members. It has also transformed local farming practices by encouraging producers to shift from fragmented cultivation to market-oriented value chain production.
Commenting on the cooperative’s achievements, Ngô Minh Tuấn, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Tà Hộc Commune, said: “Ngọc Hoàng Agricultural Cooperative is a highly effective collective economic model and a pioneer in developing a large-scale commercial dragon fruit production area in the commune. In addition to generating high economic value and improving the incomes of its members and partner households, the cooperative has taken the lead in product promotion, trade promotion, and export market expansion. These efforts have opened up new opportunities for agricultural development in the locality.”
Vietnamese source: https://thuonghieusanpham.vn/quan-tri-vung-nguyen-lieu-nang-tam-thanh-long-son-la
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