Cam Vinh: Famous for its quality and delicious taste.

(Baonghean) - For a long time, Vinh oranges have been familiar to many people inside and outside the province. I clearly remember that in the 1980s, when we were still attending village school, we memorized the verses of Pham Tien Duat's poem "Orange Season," printed in the 3rd grade Vietnamese textbook: "Xa Doai oranges are juicy / Golden drops like honey / Cutting the orange outside the front door / The fragrance wafts into the house"... The flavor of our hometown oranges has also found its way into deeply moving lyrical songs, such as "Xa Doai oranges from Nghe An, the riper they are, the more fragrant they become" in the song "Who Goes to Nghe An," music by Pham Tuyen, lyrics by Huy Can.

It can be affirmed that Vinh oranges, with familiar names such as Xa Doai oranges, Phu Quy oranges, Con Cuong oranges, etc., have become famous far and wide and have entered the hearts and minds of many generations and regions. Many people acknowledge that Vinh oranges deserve to be at the top of Nghe An's list of typical products and are also worthy of being considered the best-tasting oranges compared to other famous orange-growing regions nationwide.

But while Vinh oranges have a renowned reputation, have the economic benefits from growing them lived up to that reputation? This question isn't too difficult to answer, considering the overall economic picture of Nghe An province each year, where the position of orange cultivation is extremely modest...

Cam Vinh. Illustration: Internet

Nationwide, the orange market has many advantages, but has Vinh orange achieved the necessary, deserved, and worthy competitive edge commensurate with its established reputation? The reality forces us to confront and speak frankly: many orange-growing regions in the country are relatively new. Their scale and traditional reputation are far inferior to Vinh oranges, but their involvement and participation in the current integration era are clearly more vibrant and advantageous than Vinh oranges.

Recently, the Cao Phong Orange Festival (Hoa Binh province) was organized on a large scale, with extensive publicity and promotion, making it a noteworthy event. Around this event, many people passionate about Vinh oranges, including scientists and managers, expressed their concerns and regrets about things we haven't been able to achieve with Vinh oranges and the Vinh orange brand.

Some argue that, in the era of integration, one of the crucial issues for traditional products and goods is branding, and the same applies to Vinh oranges. That's undeniable. However, with Vinh oranges, perhaps further research, evaluation, and a more thorough understanding from multiple perspectives are needed.

Recently, there have been some pressing issues related to the consumption of Vinh oranges, causing difficulties for both consumers and orange growers.

Firstly, many people are familiar with the Vinh orange brand but don't know how Vinh oranges differ from other orange varieties.

Secondly, many people want to buy Vinh oranges but don't know where to buy them, which suppliers to trust, or how to verify the official origin of Vinh oranges.

Thirdly, what can be done to prevent the misuse of the Vinh orange brand to sell other types of oranges, where many traders sell oranges of other varieties and from other regions under the name of Vinh oranges?

Fourth, it's not enough to just get Vinh oranges to those who need them; we need to promote and advertise Vinh oranges more widely so that they can develop into a strong citrus crop for the province.

From the four issues mentioned above, it is clear that Vinh oranges have gained a reputation and brand, which has somewhat created a relatively widespread demand for their consumption and enjoyment. The reality is that while the Vinh orange brand exists, information about it remains unclear (lacking comprehensive information about the characteristics, features, specifications, geographical indications, etc., necessary for consumers).

Furthermore, the development and promotion of the Vinh orange brand has not been coupled with effective management and utilization of the product's value, failing to seize opportunities to affirm the economic benefits and position of Vinh oranges. There has been a lack of timely innovation and organization of production towards cooperation and close linkages along the value chain between production and consumption of Vinh oranges...

From this, some people liken Vinh oranges to a beautiful girl, so famously beautiful that some people "borrow her fame" to get married; while many people know and admire this beautiful girl, they find it difficult to approach her. Thus, this beautiful girl has yet to find her true love, to satisfy her parents' wishes.

Therefore, the development of Vinh oranges is not just a matter for orange growers, but also for managers, scientists, and businesspeople. This issue requires the involvement, intellectual contributions, and constructive suggestions to create momentum for a transformation, a renewal of organization, production, and consumption, aiming to create a worthy and balanced position for Vinh oranges, balancing reputation and substance.

Chi Linh Son