Vietnam is considering replacing 'unsafe' vegetables imported from China with greens grown in Da Lat to supply markets in Hanoi and surrounding areas, reports Tuoitrenews.vn.
“Da Lat greens” is a produce trademark for fruit and vegetables grown in Vietnam's Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, and come with food safety guarantees, the report said.
Authorities in Hanoi and Lam Dong reportedly held a meeting on 30 October in the capital to discuss ways to replace Chinese produce, which does not come with food safety guarantees, with Da Lat products.
Representatives attending the event admitted that Da Lat vegetables have huge potential to compete with Chinese produce in northern markets, but lack an effective distribution system.
Currently Vietnam’s northern markets consume around 700 tonnes of agricultural products a day, of which 200 tonnes are from China and 50 tonnes come from Da Lat. The rest are transported from other sources.
Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the meeting that Da Lat vegetables are exported to ten nations worldwide but are absent from the domestic market in the Vietnamese capital.
Transport cost and post-harvest preservation are the challenges for Da Lat vegetables in competition with the Chinese plants in Hanoi, he said.
“Vietnam should set up a strong chain of distribution for farming products so that Da Lat vegetables can beat the Chinese produce in Hanoi and other domestic markets,” Loc said.
Nguyen Van Yen, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province, told the meeting that the production capacity of local farmers has been increasing, but they lack a market.
“Presently we have 17,000ha of farming land available for cultivating vegetables that produce 2.3m tonnes a year,” he said.
“Our farmers can expand their vertical production area to plant vegetables on shelves. So we can increase the output if we have stable markets.”
