(VOVWORLD) - Driven by a determination to escape poverty, farmer Huynh Thanh Lam of Nhon Ai commune, Can Tho city uprooted his low-value fruit trees and shifted to growing durian. This approach has significantly increased his family’s income and made Lam a good example of a new generation of farmers who think big and act bold in pursuit of safer, more sustainable agricultural production.
 Huynh Thanh Lam earns about 76,000 USD annually from durians. (Photo: Pham Hai/VOV’s correspondent in the Mekong Delta) |
Huynh Thanh Lam is now the Director of Tan Thanh Cooperative, which has 19 members cultivating 14 hectares of durian. Each year the cooperative supplies between 250 and 300 tons of durian to the market and Lam now earns over 76,000 USD per year.
Lam recalled that between 1995 and 2000, many types of fruit sold at extremely low prices, sometimes just a few dozens of US cents per kilogram. Noticing that some households had begun growing durian, he decided to try his hand. Initially, the local varieties Lam planted failed to deliver the expected economic returns.
Even so, durian stood out as having far greater long-term potential than other crops, so Lam planted his entire 4.3 hectares with diverse varieties as Ri6, Monthong, Musang King, and Black Thorn.
“Growers sell their products to traders, who then supply enterprises. With branding efforts already in place, the market has become more stable. The Department of Science and Technology is building a platform to promote Can Tho durian brands and specialty products,” said Lam.
As many local households shifted to growing durian, Lam mobilized them to establish the Tan Thanh Cooperative to ensure product uniformity, branding, and market reputation. The cooperative’s production meets current VietGAP standards and is progressing toward higher food safety certifications.
 Huynh Thanh Lam’s durian orchard (Photo: Pham Hai/ VOV’s correspondent in the Mekong Delta) |
Lam’s greatest aspiration is to see Can Tho durian gain a firm foothold in domestic and international markets. Achieving that goal will require clean, safe, high-quality products.
“We encourage farmers to adhere to safe production practices. Safety is essential for both export markets and domestic consumption,” said Lam.
Nhon Ai commune now focuses on producing high-value fruits while gradually developing eco-tourism linked to orchards.
Nguyen Ut Em, Vice Chairman of the Nhon Ai People’s Committee, said the commune’s total fruit-growing area has exceeded 3,000 hectares. Several local fruit products have already been branded and are participating in the “One Commune, One Product (OCOP)” program.
“Most of the commune’s fruit crops are of high economic value. On that foundation, we have worked closely with enterprises and cooperatives to develop planting area codes, adopt production processes that meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, strengthen links with businesses, and improve market access for local products,” he said.
Huynh Thanh Lam was honored by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union as an Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer in 2025. He has also received numerous other commendations from central and local authorities.