Vietnam’s macadamia trees first took root in Dien Bien province in 2013. With favorable land and climate conditions, Điện Biên is one of the provinces that have received the approval of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under the master plan for macadamia development in the Northwest and Central Highlands through 2020. This master plan also identifies development potential extending to 2030.
To date, Dien Bien has become one of the largest macadamia-growing hubs in the Northwest region, with nearly 7,200 hectares under cultivation. Vietnameese acadamia trees now not only help local people secure stable livelihoods but also open up a new direction for the province’s agricultural development.
Vietnam’s macadamia trees
As one of the pioneering households to pilot macadamia cultivation in Tuan Giao District, the family of Mr. Chanh in Quai Nua Commune once faced many concerns. In the early days, he and his family could not help but wonder how Vietnam’s macadamia trees would grow. They were also uncertain about whether the crop would be economically viable. By the sixth year, all 260 macadamia trees began to flower and bear their first fruit. At that point, the family’s patience and hopes finally rewarded.
Recalling that period, Mr. Chanh said that in the sixth year, the orchard started producing. Then, he sold fresh macadamia fruits at a price of VND 100,000 per kilogram. Whatever quantity was harvested was sold immediately, bringing great joy to the family. At that time, they realized that macadamia cultivation was far more profitable than growing maize or cassava. From the sixth year onward, the orchard has produced fruit annually, providing the family with a stable source of income.
Quai Nua is one of the earliest communes in Tuan Giao District to adopt macadamia cultivation. In 2013, the commune planted more than 500 hectares on a trial basis. After more than a decade, macadamia trees have not only proven their strong growth potential but have also delivered high economic value for local residents.
With fresh fruit purchase prices remaining stable at VND 35,000–45,000 per kilogram, Vietnamese macadamia has become a reliable income source. Many households now earn between VND 80–100 million per harvest season from this crop. This has created strong momentum for sustainable poverty reduction in the area.
By 2022, recognizing the long-term potential and sustainable value of Vietnam’s macadamia trees, Tuan Giao District expanded planting areas. At the same time, the district introduced special support policies under the National Target Program for ethnic minority regions. Accordingly, for each hectare of cultivated land, local authorities provide more than 200 seedlings. Corresponding fertilizer support is also provided for a period of five years.
Vietnamese macadamia exports
Mr. Lo Van Tuan is the Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quai Nua Commune. He said that policies supporting seedlings, fertilizers, and technical guidance have created strong motivation for local residents. This motivation is especially evident among ethnic minority communities, who are now more confident in investing in this high-value crop.
The local government has also actively directed the restructuring of crop patterns. As a result, low-efficiency farmland has converted to macadamia cultivation. With strong public consensus, Vietnam’s macadamia trees are likely to continue thriving, becoming a key poverty-alleviation crop in the commune.
By the end of 2024, the total macadamia planting area in Quai Nua Commune had exceeded 1,000 hectares, reaching 129% of the original plan. In 2025, many villages in the commune will continue registering for new macadamia plantations. This expansion will add nearly 100 hectares with more than 26,000 trees.
This success reflects the strong determination of both authorities and residents to establish macadamia as a flagship crop. With plans to plant nearly 100 additional hectares in 2025, the macadamia development movement will continue spreading vigorously.
Alongside the expansion of cultivation areas, processing and commercialization of Vietnamese macadamia products have become an important pathway for local agricultural economic development. Processed products such as dried macadamia nuts, shelled kernels, and macadamia oil have helped increase agricultural value.
Vietnamese macadamia jars
They have also expanded markets both domestically and internationally. In recent years, many households in Tuan Giao have boldly invested in modern machinery. This includes drying machines, shell cutters, sealing machines, and oil presses to produce finished macadamia products.
Ms. Doan Thi Thoa is the owner of Thoa Doan Macadamia Processing Facility in Tuan Giao District. She said that on average, each harvest season she purchases 80–100 tons of fresh macadamia fruit from local growers. After drying and shelling, her family sells dried macadamia kernels at prices ranging from VND 500,000 to 1 million per kilogram. This underscores the crop’s high economic value and strong potential for sustainable development.
Processing activities not only increase income from macadamia cultivation but also create stable employment for many local workers. Stages such as drying, sorting, and packaging provide job opportunities for numerous households and small-scale facilities. These activities have significantly improved local incomes. As a result, many workers have escaped unstable livelihoods previously dependent on maize and cassava cultivation on degraded land.
According to the provincial agricultural development plan, Dien Bien Province aims to reach 90,000 hectares of Vietnam’s macadamia trees by 2030. The province has identified macadamia as one of its key agricultural crops contributing to poverty reduction and improved living standards for ethnic minority communities. At the same time, it promotes the application of scientific and technological advances in cultivation, care, and processing to enhance productivity and product quality.
Vietnamese macadamia
Mr. Lo Van Cuong is the Director of the Dien Bien Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to him, Vietnam’s macadamia trees are highly suitable with the province’s climate and soil conditions. Many localities such as Tuan Giao, Muong Ang, and Dien Bien Phu have implemented large-scale macadamia plantations. These areas have also partnered with enterprises such as TH Group to develop macadamia production.
Macadamia products from Dien Bien are now available within the province and in several other cities and provinces nationwide. The crop has transformed public awareness, particularly among ethnic minority communities. It has strengthened their determination to build prosperity on their native land.
The Dien Bien Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is orienting macadamia development in line with land-use planning and the three forest classification plans. This includes converting barren land, bare hills, and low-efficiency land to macadamia cultivation. Macadamia is a multipurpose tree that not only helps green barren land and hillsides but also produces valuable nuts. In addition, it is eligible for forest environmental service payments and carbon credit trading.
After more than a decade in Dien Bien, Vietnam’s macadamia is no longer an unfamiliar crop that farmers grow with uncertainty. Instead, it is cultivated with hope for a better future. In the coming years, vast green macadamia forests will not only transform the landscape of Dien Bien. They will also open pathways out of poverty and toward legitimate prosperity for local people.
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