Vietnamese pomelo has been upgraded in both farming practices and quality standards to meet strict requirements in markets such as Australia, the United States and the EU, turning a local fruit into a globally recognized export product.
Mr. Dang Van Ro, born 1945, a farmer in Ben Tre Ward, Vinh Long Province, has played a key role in developing the Ba Ro green-skinned pomelo brand (BR99), dedicating more than half of his life to pomelo cultivation.
He shared that over 50 years ago, his family discovered a special pomelo tree with green skin and pink flesh, producing small or seedless fruit when ripe. Recognizing its potential, he propagated the tree through grafting, gradually expanding cultivation. The fruit later gained recognition after winning second prize at a Mekong Delta fruit competition, helping the green-skinned pomelo become widely known.
In 2004, he registered the “BR99” pomelo trademark with Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The transformation from a local specialty to an export-standard product required a shift in farming practices, including the adoption of VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, strict control of pesticide residues, and the implementation of traceability systems through farm coding and transparent production processes.
In Dong Thap Province, Mr. Duong Thanh Hong, Vice Head of the My Phu Community Cooperative Group, said that 14 hectares of pomelo have been cultivated under VietGAP standards with certified growing area codes to support export.
Australian partners have repeatedly inspected orchards, evaluating sugar content, acidity, soil pH and fruit weight. Blue Ocean Import-Export Trading Joint Stock Company has played a key role in connecting Vietnamese pomelo to the Australian market.
Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Thach, CEO of the company, said that exporting the first shipment required coordinated efforts between the government, businesses, cooperatives and farmers. The process involved repeated adjustments and compliance with strict technical and quarantine requirements from import partners.
This is not just about a successful shipment of pomelo, but about elevating the value of Vietnam’s fruit industry as a whole, she emphasized.
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