Malaysian and Singaporean consumers to taste Vietnamese strawberries

Luong says the Alliance has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a partner which will ensure the export of Son La strawberries to these markets.

Under the MoU, an initial shipment of 500 kilos of strawberries is expected to enter Singapore and Malaysia in order to first explore local consumer tastes.

According to Luong, Son La strawberries have varieties from Japan and are typically harvested from early December to mid-May each year.

Strawberries are picked at their peak ripeness to maintain their sweetness and fragrance on the same level as those imported from the Republic of Korea, she says.

Last year's crop saw Son La Strawberry Cooperative Alliance harvest approximately 320 tonnes which were subsequently sold in 26 provinces and cities across the country.

This year, the unit is expected to harvest roughly 750 tonnes of strawberries which will be launched in the southern market and then shipped to both Singapore and Malaysia. Son La strawberries are currently traded at a price of VND380,000 per kilo in Hanoi.

Son La strawberries are now sold at Big C Thang Long supermarket in Hanoi as part of the Son La Safe Agricultural Product Week, which is taking place from December 2 to December 5.

Nghiem Van Tuan, director of the Son La Investment Promotion Center, says agricultural products put on display at the event have all met food safety certifications such as VietGAP and GlobalGAP.

This year Son La exported farm products including tea, coffee, tapioca starch, mangoes, and longans worth more than US$161 million.