Bac Ninh firms support farmers to further promote local farm produce

Updated: 14:08, 15/01/2026

BAC NINH - Despite volatile weather and market conditions, agricultural processing and export companies in the northern province of Bac Ninh are pressing ahead with efforts to stay close to farmers, expanding raw material zones to help local produce reach demanding overseas markets. Those steady, behind-the-scenes efforts are enabling Vietnamese agricultural products to gradually penetrate high-standard markets while creating stable and sustainable livelihoods for farmers.

Maintaining stable raw material zones

One such company is Vifoco Import-Export JSC (Vifoco), based in Tien Phong ward in Bac Ninh.

Nguyen Xuan Viet, Director of Vifoco Import-Export Joint Stock Company, inspects the company’s canned lychees in syrup.

Nguyen Xuan Viet, the company’s Director, recently returned from surveys of raw material areas in what were formerly Tan Yen and Yen The districts, where discussions focused not only on production plans but also on seasonal risks, weather patterns and farmers’ incomes.

In 2025, adverse weather conditions and prolonged flooding inundated many of the company’s raw material areas, causing significant damage. Company officials proactively went to affected localities to meet and encourage farming households, while working with technical agencies to guide production recovery.

Measures included replanting and compensatory planting of damaged areas, ensuring crops were restored within the appropriate planting window. This approach helped prevent disruptions to the raw material supply chain, while enabling farmers to sustain production and stabilize their incomes.

Founded in 2008, Vifoco specialises in frozen agricultural products such as pumpkin, carrots, sweet corn and potatoes, as well as canned items including cucumbers, lychee and longan. About 90% of its output is exported, mainly to South Korea, France and Germany which are known for stringent requirements on quality and food safety.

On average each year, Vifoco exports about 1 million cans of lychees in syrup, with 70% shipped to France and Germany. The remainder is supplied to consumers in southern provinces and to domestic beverage chains. The company also exports around 2,000 tonnes of frozen lychee pulp annually, helping ease pressure during the peak lychee harvest season and increase the fruit’s overall value.

To meet those standards, the company has prioritised building large, stable raw material areas. It currently manages around 60–70 hectares of linked cultivation zones, working with 10 cooperatives and involving roughly 500 farmers.

Four of the cooperatives are responsible for preliminary processing. The linkage model allows the company to secure consistent supplies while providing local residents with stable jobs and income.

Thanks to its firm grip on both raw materials and export markets, Vifoco’s shipments have risen steadily. In 2024, the company exported about 8,000 tonnes of products, a figure expected to climb to around 9,000 tonnes in 2025, with total export value estimated at about 5 million USD.

Creating added value for agricultural products

To sustain this growth momentum, Vifoco has organized production more efficiently, cut unnecessary costs, and kept selling prices stable to uphold its credibility with international customers.

Among its products, canned lychee in syrup has been recognised by the provincial authorities as a flagship rural industrial product. On average, Vifoco exports around one million cans of lychee in syrup each year, with about 70% shipped to France and Germany. The remainder is sold in southern Vietnam and supplied to domestic beverage chains.

Workers at Vifoco Import-Export Joint Stock Company process pumpkins.

The company also exports roughly 2,000 tonnes of frozen lychee pulp annually, helping to ease pressure during peak harvest seasons and boost the fruit’s overall value.

Looking ahead, Vifoco plans to expand production, enlarge its raw material areas and invest in modern drying lines to develop premium dried fruit products aimed at the European Union market.

The journey of companies such as Vifoco to help Vietnamese agricultural products “go further” is gaining momentum, raising hopes for more sustainable harvests and broader global markets for Vietnam’s farm produce.

Do Thanh Nam