Observe others, and reflect on yourself...

(Baonghean)A few years ago, my friend who lives in Hoa Binh city (Hoa Binh province) boasted: "Cao Phong oranges are now the best in the country." I laughed and said that he didn't quite understand oranges. Nghe An is actually the largest orange-producing region in the country. Since the 1970s, Vinh oranges have been famously fragrant and delicious, deeply ingrained in the minds of consumers; they've even been exported to Eastern European countries…

Last year, when I visited Hanoi, my younger siblings who live there said: "Cao Phong oranges have now surpassed Vinh oranges. Every supermarket here sells Cao Phong oranges. Perhaps Cao Phong oranges have overtaken Vinh oranges and taken the dominant position." I replied: "That'll be the case when tangerines are salty!"... Later, I heard many more praises of the quality of Cao Phong oranges from Hoa Binh province, but I still absolutely refused to believe them. Because I think Vinh oranges have many superior qualities, both in quality and appearance, that oranges from other localities cannot match.

Then recently, I learned about the Cao Phong Orange Festival. It turns out that Hoa Binh province is really something, organizing a festival specifically for oranges. The festival features 300 stalls displaying and selling oranges, tangerines, and pomelos; alongside that, there are stalls for tourism, general trade, and traditional cuisine from the Northwest provinces. The festival program includes activities promoting investment, trade, and tourism; awarding VietGAP certification to orange-producing households; visiting exemplary production models; and activities involving collaboration and agreements on the production and consumption of oranges…

Knowing about the Cao Phong Orange Festival, I thought about what my friends and younger siblings had said. Yes, Cao Phong oranges are guaranteed in terms of quality! Through the festival, Hoa Binh province and producers have forged strong connections with associations, businesses, and consumers nationwide. With the attention of the entire system, and with a scientific and systematic approach; carefully managing everything from production and image promotion to product distribution, it's no surprise that Cao Phong oranges have gained such recognition.

I mentioned the Cao Phong Orange Festival to Mr. Tran Quoc Thanh, Director of the Department of Science and Technology, the unit that developed the geographical indication for Vinh oranges. He seemed a little sad, having just returned from there. He then explained that everything there is similar to Nghe An, except for the promotion through festivals and the more thorough attention from relevant authorities. In Vietnam, some large businesses and farms are interested in developing packaging and establishing orange retail outlets in Hanoi and Vinh, but the number is still limited.

The Department of Science and Technology has also recently submitted a proposal to the relevant ministry to secure support for the pilot development of a value chain for oranges. Simultaneously, they have suggested to the provincial leadership, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Nghia Dan district that, at the Sunflower Festival in December, the specialties of the western region of Nghe An should be included as one of the main features. But it remains to be seen what will happen…

Listening to the conversation, I understood Mr. Thanh's feelings. To be frank, in Nghe An province, the attention from the provincial, district, and departmental levels is not lacking. This is evidenced by the considerable effort invested in establishing the Geographical Indication for Vinh oranges since 2007. Then came the creation of the Vinh Orange Association… But looking back, activities aimed at elevating the Vinh orange brand have become increasingly weak, with everyone acting independently. Even the label for Vinh oranges, once printed, is simply… stored away in a cupboard.

The level of attention given to Vinh oranges now is questionable; saying it's genuine is one thing, but saying it's not is another. Meanwhile, producers and small traders are driven by opportunistic motives and don't care about protecting the brand. During the orange season, genuine and fake oranges are mixed together. Even people from Vinh are hesitant to buy oranges at the market, fearing they might accidentally buy Chinese oranges…

The more I think about Vinh oranges, the more I remember the old days. The days when Vinh oranges were produced by state-owned farms. Vinh oranges were considered a key economic product of the province, exported to exchange for machinery and foreign currency for the country. I think the province needs to build upon that past pride. It needs to consider orange trees as a key economic crop, receiving systematic, appropriate, and sustainable investment. It's not necessary to create an orange festival like Hoa Binh province.

But we need to learn from Hoa Binh province in terms of managing and directing production, promoting products, managing brands; and even establishing relationships with associations and businesses to sell products. Furthermore, we need to aim for orange exports. I believe that both orange producers and consumers would be very happy if oranges received such attention. Because, as producers, what more could they want than for the value of their labor to be constantly increased; and consumers would feel confident in Vinh oranges whenever they need them…

Nhat Lan