Vinh Long Province expands the cultivation areas for Vietnam’s lemon exports

The Vinh Long Provincial Cooperative Alliance is coordinating with relevant agencies and local authorities to encourage farmers to expand Vietnam’s lemon exports. This is being carried out through a linked value chain involving farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises.

The province aims to reach 250 hectares of Vietnamese seedless lime for export by 2026. This area will expect to increase to 300 hectares by 2027 and 500 hectares by 2030.

The cultivation model of Vietnam’s lemon exports has been implemented since 2020 through cooperation between the Vinh Long Provincial Cooperative Alliance and the Thanh Chi Seedless Lime Cooperative in Tan An Commune. After five years, the model has demonstrated outstanding effectiveness. This success attributes to close linkages in production and consumption among farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises.

Vietnam’s lemon exports

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien is a resident of Tan An Commune and a member of the Thanh Chi Cooperative. Her family converted 0.4 hectares of low-yield rice land to Vietnam’s lemon exports in 2020. By strictly adhering to technical procedures, her family’s lime orchard delivers a stable yield of 2.5–3 tons per month. After deducting costs, the average profit is around VND 30 million per month.

Recognizing the model’s superior efficiency compared to rice farming, in early 2024 Ms. Lien’s family expanded seedless lime cultivation by an additional 0.4 hectares. “What gives me and other cooperative members the greatest peace of mind is that Vietnamese export enterprises will purchase all our Vietnam’s lemon exports,” Ms. Lien shared. She added that prices are always at least VND 3,000 per kilogram higher than the market.

Mr. Phan Duc Tai is the Director of the Thanh Chi Cooperative. According to him, the cooperative currently has 186 member households engaged in linked production. The total growing area reaches 188.4 hectares across 16 communes and wards in the province. On average, the cooperative supplies 120–150 tons per month. During the peak season, output rises to 200–250 tons.

The cooperative will support members with seedlings, technical guidance, and the transfer of Globalgap-compliant cultivation processes. At the same time, the cooperative works closely with enterprises to strictly monitor production logs, agricultural inputs, and pre-harvest intervals. This is done to meet the stringent requirements of importing markets.

Vietnamese seedless lime box

The purchase price offered by the Thanh Chi Cooperative is always kept stable, with a minimum of VND 10,000 per kilogram even when market prices drop sharply. When market prices rise, the cooperative pays at least VND 3,000 per kilogram higher than the market. Currently, the cooperative purchases Globalgap-standard seedless limes at VND 28,500 per kilogram. This level is VND 7,500 higher than the prevailing market price.

According to Mr. Phan Duc Tai, seedless lime cultivation mainly involves high initial investment costs. These include land improvement, raised-bed construction, and seedlings, totaling about VND 130–180 million per hectare. The trees begin yielding after 18 months, with full capital recovery and profits achieved after three years.

From the fourth year onward, yields stabilize at 30–50 tons per hectare per year. After deducting production costs, and based on an average selling price of VND 15,000 per kilogram, farmers can earn profits of around VND 400 million per year. This level is far higher than rice cultivation on the same land.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Ven is the Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long Provincial Cooperative Alliance. He stated that the seedless lime value-chain model delivers outstanding economic efficiency. Accordingly, the income per unit of land is 5–6 times higher than rice farming. Beyond economic benefits, the model also generates clear social impacts by providing regular employment for more than 150 local workers.

Loading Vietnam’s lemon exports

It also helps raise farmers’ incomes and transform production mindsets. Farmers are shifting from traditional farming that is “not market-oriented, uncontrolled, and unlinked” to value-chain-based production that is connected, market-driven, and responsible.

In the coming period, Vinh Long Province plans to develop the growing areas for Vietnam’s lemon exports in regions with low-yield rice land and aging orange orchards. The province aims to reach 500 hectares by 2030. This will help establish a key raw material zone for enterprises.

The Vietnamese exporting company has committed to purchasing the entire current seedless lime output. The company will also continue its partnership as the province expands the raw material area. In addition to high purchase prices, starting in 2026 the company will introduce bonus incentives ranging from VND 500 to VND 2,000 per kilogram. These incentives will depend on the proportion of fruit meeting quality standards. Also, they also encourage farmers to strictly comply with good agricultural practice procedures.

Farmers participating in the linked seedless lime cultivation model are given access to preferential credit from the Farmers’ Support Fund and the Provincial Cooperative Alliance. To date, among the 186 households growing seedless limes in linkage with the Thanh Chi Cooperative, 73 households have received loans totaling VND 3.265 billion.

Vietnamese lemon farm

This funding is used to invest in crop restructuring. In addition, the coopearive will supply farmers with seedlings and full guidance and technology transfer. This support covers the entire cultivation and care process in accordance with exporters’ standards.

According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Ven, to achieve the planned 500-hectare seedless lime raw material zone, functional agencies, local authorities, and enterprises will continue to strengthen their support for farmers. This support will range from land-use planning and infrastructure investment in growing areas to transferring international-standard production techniques and organizing stable procurement through sustainable value-chain linkages.

At the same time, efforts will be intensified to manage quality and control growing areas. Building farmers’ trust in enterprises and markets is also essential. These measures will create a solid foundation for Vĩnh Long not only to expand cultivation area but also to enhance value and gradually establish its position as a seedless lime export hub.

Vietnamese lemon trees

The Provincial Cooperative Alliance has proposed that the Department of Agriculture and Environment advise competent authorities to include seedless lime in the list of the province’s key crops. This would allow the introduction of supportive development policies and detailed zoning plans. It also recommends developing a technical handbook on cultivation and care practices.

In addition, technical and financial support should be provided for organizing training courses for farmers. In parallel, relevant units are encouraged to jointly develop “linkage rules.” These rules would clearly define the responsibilities of farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises. This would thereby lay a firm foundation for the sustainable development of the seedless lime value chain.

The seedless lime export cultivation model not only delivers strong economic benefits. It also helps enhance the reputation of Vinh Long’s agricultural products in international market. It fosters farmer confidence in collective economic models and modern value-chain-based production. With the close cooperation of authorities, enterprises, and farmers, Vinh Long Province hopes to make seedless lime a key crop. This will contribute to higher incomes and promote local socio-economic development.