The Fruit Republic Can Tho, the Vinh Long Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Vinh Long Provincial Cooperative Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop 500 hectares of seedless lime in the province by 2030.
The MoU was signed by Mr. Siebe Van Wijk, General Director of The Fruit Republic Can Tho, Mr. Le Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, and Mr. Thai Phuoc Loc, Chairman of the Cooperative Alliance. Representatives of the Provincial People’s Committee witnessed the ceremony at the Department in Vinh Long.
The agreement was developed within the framework of the SUCCEEDS project and marks another step towards the project’s goal of making the Mekong Delta citrus sector more sustainable, efficient and profitable for smallholders. It also builds on the long-standing Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Netherlands and Vietnam to strengthen the agriculture and food sector, as well as on the Vinh Long Provincial Planning for 2021–2030, which sets out the province’s long-term vision for agricultural development.
The partnership connects farmers and cooperatives directly with The Fruit Republic, so growers can establish and expand their orchards knowing that their harvest has a secure market outlet. The Fruit Republic will purchase seedless limes and sell them on national and international markets. The company will also train farmers in standards such as GLOBALG.A.P. and LEAF, and offer each participating farm an interest-free advance of up to VND 5 million, repaid gradually after the first harvest.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment will co-organise training and promote disease-free planting material. It will also help farmers obtain growing area codes and VietGAP and GLOBALG.A.P. certification. The Cooperative Alliance will mobilise farmers, help cooperatives grow, and connect members with credit programmes and support policies. Every farmer joining the new growing areas will receive training in cultivation and crop management, so they can produce safe, high-quality fruit that meets international requirements.
The MoU runs for five years, from 2026 to 2030. For Vinh Long’s farmers, the partnership means a reliable market for their harvest and access to higher-value markets. For The Fruit Republic, it means a steady supply of sustainably grown seedless limes.
Mr. Siebe Van Wijk, General Director of The Fruit Republic Cần Thơ, delivered a speech at the ceremony.
As Siebe said during the signing ceremony: “The agreement we are signing today is a rather special model of cooperation for the Mekong Delta, we hope it can be replicated in other areas. It makes our partnership more official and, at the same time, gives all three parties a clear structure and direction to develop the seedless lime sector together in the years ahead”.
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