“Gold on the rock mountain”

From a native fruit tree, custard apple now not only helps Lang Son farmers eliminate hunger and reduce poverty but also opens up a direction for sustainable agricultural development, while enhancing the brand of local specialties.

Chi Lang custard apples are packaged and preserved after harvest at the purchasing point. Photo: Quang Duy

Lang Son custard apple orchard, creating a regional brand

Lang Son province currently has about 4,900 hectares of custard apple growing area, mainly concentrated in the communes of Chi Lang, Huu Lung, Cai Kinh, Van Nham, Huu Lien, Bang Mac... The custard apple crop in 2025 is considered one of the most successful seasons for Lang Son farmers. According to a report from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lang Son province, the total custard apple output of the province this year is estimated at more than 35 thousand tons. The total economic value from custard apple trees is estimated to exceed 1,500 billion VND.

In Chi Lang district, the regular yield of custard apples is maintained at 20,000 to 25,000 tons per year. The average yield is about 10.6 tons/ha in stable cultivation areas. The Chi Lang region, which has special soil, has given birth to the "Chi Lang Custard Apple" brand, which has been certified by the Department of Intellectual Property. Mr. Hoang Van Chuc (Lung Cut village, Chi Lang commune) said that in the past, his family's custard apple garden was often damaged by pests and diseases, leading to great economic losses. However, since being instructed by local agricultural officials on the cultivation process according to VietGAP standards, his family's custard apple products have produced outstanding fruit quality, always favored by the market. This year's custard apple season, his family had an income of over 300 million VND.

Towards sustainable development and value enhancement

The productivity and quality of custard apples have been improved, however, many economic experts believe that to maintain long-term economic efficiency, it is necessary to invest in post-harvest preservation, brand building and development of production-consumption chains.

In fact, the production and consumption of custard apples in Lang Son still face many challenges. One of the biggest problems is maintaining consistent product quality across the board. The complex mountainous terrain and unusual weather conditions make care, pest control and post-harvest handling difficult.

In addition, the majority of custard apple production is still consumed domestically, with a limited export rate. Expanding the international market requires products to meet high standards of food safety, traceability and professional production processes. Therefore, strengthening technical training, building coded growing areas, affixing QR traceability stamps and continuing to perfect the value chain are being focused on by local authorities.

In that context, trade promotion and product promotion activities are being promoted to support the market expansion process. Lang Son has organized many activities to promote Chi Lang custard apple in major cities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. through product recognition weeks. These activities not only help expand consumption channels but also enhance brand recognition, creating a premise for larger developments in the future. Lang Son also actively organizes trade promotion programs, bringing custard apple products to e-commerce platforms.

A good sign is that farmers themselves are becoming "online sellers", directly connecting with customers nationwide. Ms. Dang Thi Tho (Chi Lang commune, owner of the TikTok channel "Co Tho Grocery") shared that in the past, when selling custard apples, she carried them to the market, carried them by bicycle to each place but still could not sell them all. When she saw young people selling goods over the phone, she gradually learned and practiced. At first, she encountered many difficulties because she did not know about technology and was awkward in speaking. But now, each of her livestreams has hundreds of views, closing many orders from north to south.

With the achievements, Lang Son “custard apple orchard” is gradually asserting its position in the picture of Vietnam’s specialty agriculture. Not only bringing great economic value, custard apple trees are also a clear demonstration of the change in mountainous rural areas when people proactively practice high-quality agriculture, associating products with brands.

Nowadays, local people also focus on applying science and technology, using organic fertilizers, and biological disease management, thereby helping to improve fruit quality and maintain the brand.

Tuy Anh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/vang-tren-nui-da-post910384.html