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Dragon fruit growers in Vietnam claim GAP certification is failing to open export doors and deliver the better returns they had expected when signing up to such schemes, a major exporter reports.

Farmers are disillusioned with Good Agricultural Practice accreditation - designed to boost produce quality and exports - after higher prices for certified fruit have so far failed to materialised, Jean-Luc Voisin, founder of exporter Les Vergers du Mekong, tells Fruitnet.com.

Some are even considering quitting GAP programmes, which require considerable financial and personal investment, since their incomes are no higher than if they supplied non-certified fruit.

'Dragon fruit growers are willing to make an effort with farm management, invest in new infrastructure and follow strict rules if it improves their earnings by boosting export volumes and export prices,' says Mr Voisin. 'But, unfortunately, a few fruit growers are already disappointed with the return they are getting on their VietGAP and GlobalGAP-certified fruit, as export prices are staying the same. If their income doesn't rise after accreditation, they feel they might as well give up.'

This ripple of dissent comes at a time when demand for Vietnamese fruit on overseas markets is rising. Dragon fruit exports to the US and Japan quadrupled and tripled respectively this year compared to last, and exporters are noting strong demand from Europe, China and South East Asia.

But the only way to access the more lucrative export markets is to supply fruit grown according to recognised standards, says Mr Voisin. So to abandon GAP schemes would severely limit the dragon fruit sector just as exports are really taking off.

'Most Vietnamese farmers and orchard owners are losing out on export opportunities because their fruit does not meet global standards of cultivation,' he says. 'The Vietnamese dragon fruit sector is leading the way since many dragon fruit growers have invested and obtained VietGAP certification - the stage before GlobalGAP.'

This year saw an increase in dragon fruit plantings in Vietnam, driven by strong export demands this year and positive indications of future growth, exporters reveal.

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