The program was attended by representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor, the Ho Chi Minh City Women’s Union, and the leadership of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations, along with nearly 100 Laotian and Cambodian students and their Vietnamese host parents.
The delegation visited a tissue-cultured banana plantation operated by U&I Agriculture Joint Stock Company in Long Hoa Commune and toured the Minh Tan rubber farm in Dau Tieng Commune, in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the visit to the tissue-cultured banana plantation, students had the opportunity to observe firsthand the processes of harvesting, preliminary processing, and packaging of bananas. They were also invited to experience cutting and packaging bananas themselves.
Ms. Huynh Thi Tuyet Huong, Deputy General Director of U&I Agriculture Joint Stock Company, stated that the farm currently has nearly 155 hectares dedicated to banana cultivation, equipped with a packaging facility, cold storage, and machinery valued at approximately VND76 billion (US$2.9 million).
According to Ms. Huynh Thi Tuyet Huong, the company’s bananas are exported to dozens of markets, including Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. During the 2023–2024 period, the farm generated an annual revenue of nearly VND183 billion (US$6.9 million).
Laotian student Vongsavanh Lisa from Nguyen Tat Thanh University expressed her honor at participating in the program. She noted that visiting the tissue-cultured banana plantation and the Minh Tan rubber farm operated by Dau Tieng Rubber One-Member Limited Liability Company provided a clearer understanding of agricultural production processes and the economic and social role of the rubber industry in the region.
She added that these hands-on experiences not only broaden their professional knowledge but also help young Laotian and Cambodian students gain practical insights to contribute to their own countries in the future.
Mr. Do Ngoc Huy, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers’ Association, emphasized that through the program, the association aims to provide Laotian and Cambodian students with a deeper understanding of Vietnamese agriculture, particularly the dynamism and creativity of Ho Chi Minh City’s farmers.
The initiative also expands opportunities for interaction, learning, and experience-sharing among young people, farmers’ association members, and students from the three countries, while fostering pride, solidarity, and close bonds among the neighboring nations, he added.
Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers’ Association stated that this field trip is part of the implementation of the “Vietnamese Families with Lao and Cambodian Students Studying in Ho Chi Minh City in 2021-2025” program initiated by the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.
The trip aims to help Laotian and Cambodian students explore urban agriculture, rural life, and high-tech agricultural production models in Ho Chi Minh City, while promoting the image of a dynamic, modern, and compassionate city.
Thepthany Anny, a Laotian student at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, said that the “Vietnamese Families” program has provided students studying far from home with emotional support, as Vietnamese host families care for them like their own relatives. Thanks to the affection and guidance from their Vietnamese “parents” and older siblings, the students can overcome homesickness, focus on their studies, and quickly integrate into life in Ho Chi Minh City.
