Siebe van Wijk, Managing Director of The Fruit Republic, has been invited to speak at the Fruitnet Tropicals Congress in Barcelona on 30 June. This leading international event serves as a key meeting point for the global tropical fruit industry. Over the course of two days, more than 250 delegates and 20 speakers from 25 countries came together to explore the latest market opportunities in the tropical fruit category and share insights and experiences.
This year marks the first time that the Vietnamese exotics sector will be prominently showcased at this important event. During his presentation, Siebe highlighted the rapid rise of Vietnam’s fruit sector, which exported an impressive US$3.8 billion worth of tropical fruit in 2024. Approximately 90% of these exports were destined for China, with key products including durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, bananas, and mangoes.
However, as past disruptions at the Chinese–Vietnamese border have shown, such heavy reliance on a single market carries significant risks. In his presentation, Siebe will explored the reasons behind Vietnam’s strong focus on China and outline the opportunities for diversification into other international markets.
Using The Fruit Republic as a case study, he demonstrated how, over the past 17 years, the company has worked passionately to develop markets for premium Vietnamese exotic fruits across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia.
Siebe’s presentation also showcased the SUCCEEDS project, through which The Fruit Republic and its partners are connecting Mekong Delta smallholder citrus producers to global market value chains.
Citrus growers in the Mekong Delta are dealing with some of the most complex soil conditions in Vietnam — acid sulfate profiles, seasonal salinity, and the cumulative burden of intensive production. On June 16, The Fruit Republic and Can Tho University, under the SUCCEEDS Project, co-organized a technical seminar on profitable and sustainable nutrient management for citrus, bringing together university researchers, independent agronomists, and private sector representatives working in soil management across the region:
Government sector: representatives from the Agricultural Extension Centers of Tay Ninh and Vinh Long provinces, the Crop Production and Plant Protection Department of Can Tho City, as well as local agricultural authorities directly supporting agricultural development across the Mekong Delta;
Research institutions: represented by the Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI) — a leading research organization specializing in fruit crops, soil management, and sustainable agricultural solutions;
Academic institution: representatives from Can Tho University, bringing together experts, lecturers, and researchers specializing in soil science, crop nutrition, and agricultural production systems;
Private sector: with participation from The Fruit Republic, Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang, Yara Vietnam, Ba Con Rong company, and Hop Tri Summit, companies providing solutions in crop nutrition, soil testing, agricultural inputs, and innovative farming practices aimed at supporting sustainable production.
The format was designed to move between theory and practice. Expert presentations on regional soil conditions and current nutrient management challenges were followed by a group work session, where participants analyzed real soil data and developed fertilizer programs for practical farm scenarios. The day closed with a panel discussion drawing on multidisciplinary expertise from across the sector.
One of the key topics discussed was solutions for improving acid sulfate soils and restoring citrus orchard health. According to Mr. Ngo Vinh Phuong, Agronomist at The Fruit Republic, many farmers are still applying significantly less lime than required, which limits root development and gradually reduces productivity. Adding to this, Dr. Dang Duy Minh from the Department of Soil Science at Can Tho University emphasized that soil improvement should be treated as a long-term process, requiring consistent application over several years rather than short-term intervention. Meanwhile, Associate Professor Nguyen Quoc Khuong from the Department of Crop Science at Can Tho University highlighted the role of microbial products in improving soil structure and increasing nutrient uptake. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Truc, Head of the Agronomy Department at SOFRI, also recommended an integrated approach combining lime, organic matter, biochar, microbial products, and proper drainage management to support sustainable soil recovery.
After the presentations, the group exercise provided an opportunity to take the discussion to a more technical level. Participants, divided into two groups, discussed the key components of a possible fertilization program. The discussion was lively, with numerous contributions from the audience and diverse approaches emerging from the different backgrounds of the participants, making for a particularly interesting exchange.
Group discussion
This carried into the final component of the session: the panel discussion, which brought together four perspectives spanning from university research to businesses and field implementation. Mr. Do Minh Hien, Citrus Research and Development Specialist at The Fruit Republic and on-the-ground coordinator of the SUCCEEDS Project, noted that many fertilizer decisions are still primarily based on farmer experience and cost considerations, while actual soil conditions are often overlooked. From the private sector perspective, Mr. Vi Van Son, Agricultural Science Manager at Yara Vietnam, pointed out that rising input costs are pushing farmers to reduce fertilizer use or switch to cheaper alternatives — a short-term response that may undermine long-term soil health and profitability. Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Quang Chon from Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang emphasized that translating soil analysis data into practical fertilizer recommendations remains one of the industry’s critical gaps.
Panel discussion
In his closing remarks, Mr. Siebe van Wijk, Managing Director of The Fruit Republic, reflected on the project’s broader approach:
“The greatest value does not come from launching large-scale projects immediately, but from gradually building meaningful collaboration between stakeholders. By combining farmers’ practical experience, scientific knowledge from universities and research institutes, and market understanding from the private sector, we can develop smarter and more suitable solutions for citrus production in the Mekong Delta.”
Mr. Siebe van Wijk, Managing Director of The Fruit Republic, shared his perspective on the project’s broader approach
Beyond technical knowledge sharing, the seminar also created an opportunity for researchers, businesses, and field practitioners to connect and exchange ideas — groups that do not often have the chance to collaborate in the same space. This seminar is part of the ongoing technical activities of the SUCCEEDS Project, which will continue testing new ideas, improving practical solutions, and promoting more effective and sustainable farming practices at the farm level.
Since 2020, SUCCEEDS has been consistently training farmers in GGAP and climate-smart agriculture practices. Building on this experience, the project launched an improved hands-on training series for citrus growers in the Mekong Delta in early April, with sessions already underway in Tay Ninh and Vinh Long Provinces. The programme covers five practical modules delivered on-farm by SUCCEEDS staff.
The training is open to both existing TFR contract farmers and new growers joining the programme. Sessions take place in the field, working through the steps farmers actually face when establishing and managing a seedless lime orchard. The five modules cover lot establishment, planting and young tree management; crop nutrition and fertilisation; water and irrigation management; pest and disease management; and harvest and post-harvest handling.
The first module walked farmers through the full process of setting up a new orchard — site selection, soil improvement, planting techniques, irrigation setup, and early-stage tree management. Following modules will take farmers through nutrition and fertilisation, water management, pest and disease control, and harvest practices, building a complete picture of orchard management from the ground up.
The reaction from farmers was very positive. Duong Van Huong, who has been growing seedless lime on a 2-hectare farm in Tay Ninh for over 6 years, reflected on what the training added: “I am truly excited about this training session; it helps our fellow farmers better understand how to grow and care for crops, as well as how to apply fertilizer. I find that the techniques shared can improve the traditional methods we have been using all along, especially regarding soil improvement when preparing new plots, as well as the correct planting techniques. We have also discussed with each other how to dig holes, mix fertilizer, and how to set up stakes so that the trees grow straight.”
Further modules in the series are planned in the coming months.
On 17 March 2026, a delegation from the Vĩnh Long Provincial People’s Committee met in Trà Vinh with The Fruit Republic and representatives of the Government of the Netherlands. The meeting focused on long-term cooperation to scale up a sustainable seedless lime production model in Vĩnh Long Province.
The session brought together key stakeholders — including the Vĩnh Long Provincial Cooperative Alliance, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Farmer Union, and the Thanh Chí Agriculture Cooperative — all aligned on building a farming model that is sustainable, traceable, and capable of delivering consistent export quality.
Founded in Trà Vinh in 2022 with just 10 members and 3.6 hectares, the Thành Chí Cooperative began collaborating with The Fruit Republic in 2023 and has since grown rapidly. By end of 2025, with support from the SUCCEEDS project — co-financed by RVO, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency — the cultivated area had expanded to 188.4 hectares across 186 farmers, while generating employment for over 150 local workers.
Looking ahead, the cooperative aims to collaborate with The Fruit Republic to expand to 250 hectares in 2026 and 500 hectares by 2030 throughout Vĩnh Long Province, extending beyond seedless limes to other citrus varieties such as Nam Roi pomelo. The SUCCEEDS project will continue to provide the farmers with technical assistance, access to finance, training, and the help in the adoption of international standards (GlobalG.A.P.) for export and domestic market.
The Thành Chí Cooperative is demonstrating the value of public-private partnership — bringing together government, cooperatives, the private sector, and international development support to scale sustainable, high-value agriculture in the Mekong Delta.
On January 19, 2026 our SUCCEEDS training farm in Tay Ninh Province hosted a high-level delegation from the Netherlands as part of the Dutch Innovation Mission on Salinity. The group of 23 companies, knowledge institutes and public organizations was led by Céline van Maaren from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, and Raïssa Marteaux, Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City. Our team, led by Siebe van Wijk, Managing Director of The Fruit Republic, welcomed the delegation with a presentation on the Vietnamese citrus sector and the objectives of SUCCEEDS, followed by a guided farm tour.
The visit offered a practical window into what we are building on the ground. Participants moved through the farm in smaller groups, exploring the climate-smart systems the SUCCEEDS team put in place to address some of the most pressing challenges facing citrus growers in the Mekong Delta — salinity intrusion, groundwater depletion and increasingly erratic rainfall patterns. Among the solutions on show were the on-farm rainwater harvesting reservoir that drastically reduces the need for groundwater extraction during the dry season, the drip irrigation and fertigation systems connected to it, solar-powered pumps that supply water in the dry season and drain excess water during heavy rains, and improved pruning and branch-bending techniques for better light penetration, higher yields and a greater share of premium-grade fruit.
Consul General Raïssa Marteaux and Ms. Đinh Thị Phương Khanh, Vice Director of the Tay Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, concluded the visit by planting citrus seedlings themselves on the training farm.
Following the visit, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture’s international agriculture platform Agroberichten Buitenland published a detailed feature on SUCCEEDS, documenting what the delegation saw and placing our work within the wider context of Dutch-Vietnamese agricultural cooperation on climate resilience and sustainable horticulture in the Mekong Delta.
