08 May 2024

According to a representative of the Dong Thap Lotus Industry Association, currently the Japanese and Chinese markets have a huge demand for lotus roots, while in Dong Thap and other provinces nearby, most of the land area is used for growing lotus seeds. 

Ceremony of exporting the lotus roots first batch to Japan

On the morning of May 7, in Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap Lotus Industry Association held a ceremony to announce the export of the first lotus batch to the Japanese market as an activity within the framework of the 2nd Dong Thap Lotus Festival 2024.

In July 2023, Thap Muoi District Agricultural Service Center piloted the lotus root growing model, with an area of 03 hectares in Truong Xuan commune, Thap Muoi district. Initially, there has been certain success, providing high quality lotus root raw materials to meet export requirements.

According to a representative of the Dong Thap Lotus Industry Association, currently the Japanese and Chinese markets have a huge demand for lotus roots, while in Dong Thap and other provinces nearby, most of the land area is used for growing lotus seeds. 

The Japanese market is considered difficult to approach, with very strict standards. Through many negotiations and sending samples, businesses in Dong Thap have signed an order to export frozen lotus roots to Japan using IQF technology.

Along with the export shipment at the announcement ceremony (about 15 tons, worth nearly 01 billion VND), it is expected that in 2024, a business in Dong Thap will export about 8 additional containers to Japanese partners, with an order value of nearly 7 billion VND. Raw materials are purchased from Dong Thap and provinces in the Mekong Delta region.

The batch of 15 tons of lotus roots for the first time exports to Japan

Mr. Doan Thanh Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thap Muoi district, said that the export of lotus shipments this time recognized the great efforts of the government, businesses and people of Dong Thap province in implementing the Local agricultural production and export business activities, creating conditions for Sen Dong Thap to penetrate into other demanding markets in the world.

"This is also the excitement and pride of Dong Thap lotus growers in general, and Thap Muoi district in particular," Mr. Doan Thanh Binh emphasized. However, to sustainably develop the lotus industry in the coming time, we hope to receive support and consensus from departments, branches, localities, businesses, cooperatives, especially lotus farmers. to maintain quality lotus production; sustainable association with export businesses. From today's results, lotus production in particular and other local agricultural products in general will continue to be exported to the Japanese market in a sustainable way."

It is known that currently, the lotus growing area in Dong Thap is about 1,800 hectares, including about 100 hectares of organic, fully mechanized lotus. Thap Muoi district has the largest area with 500 hectares, the rest are concentrated in Thanh Binh, Cao Lanh, Tam Nong, and Lap Vo districts.

The whole province currently has 30 processing enterprises with 120 products including food and cosmetics, in which there are 54 OCOP products, one 5-star OCOP product.

Source: VnEconomy