Diversifying orange-based products in Con Cuong District
The project successfully established a cooperative group specializing in the production of orange-based products in Pha Village. It provided consultation for trial production and transferred processing technology to the group. Using simple and modern techniques, clean orange products such as candied orange peel, fermented orange liquor, orange wine, orange soap, orange essential oil, and orange syrup have been successfully produced. The group has completed procedures for food safety and hygiene, and product testing, and has designed packaging and labeling for their items. Now, with the successful production of value added byproducts linked to community based tourism, the value of oranges has significantly increased. These clean orange products have become signature local specialties, contributing to poverty reduction, minimizing environmental pollution from excess oranges clogging irrigation canals, and promoting tourism in the mountainous district of Con Cuong.
Oranges are one of the main fruit crops in Nghe An Province, with cultivation areas concentrated in districts such as Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Thanh Chuong, Yen Thanh, Nam Dan, and Con Cuong. The main orange varieties include Xa Doai 2, Van Du, V2, and Song Con. Con Cuong District alone has 255 hectares of orange plantations, concentrated mostly in communes such as Yen Khe, Chi Khe, Bong Khe, and the district town.
Oranges bring high economic value, with annual yields worth approximately VND 400 to 500 million per hectare. However, according to many orange growers, the price of oranges may decline if cultivation areas continue to expand, mainly due to current distribution systems relying heavily on private traders. Most of the harvested oranges are sold for fresh consumption, while post-harvest preservation and processing systems remain underdeveloped. This causes prices to drop during peak harvest seasons and rise in off seasons.
In recent years, “cam ngơ” has become increasingly common, a term locals use to describe oranges that fail to grow properly, turn yellow, rot, and fall off. This issue worsens during periods of prolonged rain or erratic weather, leading to mass fruit drop. These unusable oranges are discarded, resulting in significant waste and environmental pollution due to canal blockages.
To address these challenges, the project “Research and development of orange based products in Con Cuong District, Nghe An Province” was implemented from August 2016 to February 2017. This initiative was part of the broader project “Livelihood diversification through heritage based tourism in agricultural and fishing villages”, funded by JICA, with the Vietnam Rural Industries Research and Development Institute (VIRI) serving as the consulting body.
Project Objectives: To equip participating households with knowledge on cultivating, harvesting, and processing orange-based products, such as orange wine, essential oils, orange juice concentrate, and candied orange peel at the household level.
Main Activities: The project supported technical guidance in orange cultivation and harvesting; designed baskets and tote bags for tourists; conducted trial production of orange wine, concentrate, candied peel, essential oil, and soap; assisted with food safety certification; and helped develop a local orange brand. Through these activities, the project aimed to enhance the value of oranges using “clean” technologies and open up new opportunities for local tourism products.
The project helped form the cooperative to produce products from Pha village’s oranges. Consulting on trial production and transferring production techniques of orange products to the cooperative. With new and uncomplicated technology, the clean orange-based products include candied peel, fermented orange liquor, orange wine, orange soap, essential oil, and syrup. The group has completed all food safety, hygiene, and product testing procedures, and has finalized packaging and labeling designs.
With these achievements, orange byproducts tied to community tourism now offer significantly greater value. Clean orange products are becoming a core tourism commodity, playing a vital role in poverty alleviation, reducing environmental impacts from fruit waste, and boosting tourism in Con Cuong