Le Minh Sang, Director of the Tan My Fruit Tree Cooperative. (Photo: Nguyen Quang/VOV)

18 years ago, Le Minh Sang started a business growing pomelos on a 10-hectare farm. 7 years later, his pomelos reached consumers in supermarkets throughout the southern region.

In 2015, Sang set up the first cooperative in his area with 7 other farmers. Since then, the Tan My Cooperative has grown to include 22 farmers growing pomelos, oranges, guavas, apples, and tangerines on 62 hectares of land. Their annual output is now estimated to be about 1,000 tons, generating some 800,000 USD per year in profits.

The cooperative connects members in a value chain and helps them obtain funding and take advantage of support for small-scale farmers.

It provides stable jobs for 30 workers, who earn an average of 350-400 USD per month. Member Truong Thi Bong of Hau Giang province said, "It’s comfortable to work with Sang, who is knowledgeable and skilled. He really cares about his workers.”

Sang has boldly invested in machinery, equipment, and technology for agricultural production. The Tan My Fruit Tree Cooperative has registered its brand and uses QR codes for traceability. Tan My pomelos now meet export standards for markets in China, Singapore, and Europe.

In tandem with the cooperative's growth, Sang has developed a new 20-hectare farm in Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan province, that adheres to global good agricultural practices (GlobalGAP). The farm uses a solar-powered irrigation system and advanced transportation for post-harvest processing. Sang successfully tackled the challenge of channeling water 3 kilometers from an irrigation canal to his farm, transforming arid land into a lush apple orchard.

"Sang and I frequently exchange our experience in growing apples. Sang emphasizes quality as the top priority in large-scale production. His apple cultivating model has helped local farmers a lot,” local farmer Bui Van Khanh said.

Le Minh Sang instructs a farmer to grow apple in Tuy Phong farm, Binh Thuan province. (Photo: Nguyen Quang/VOV)

Sang considers Tuy Phong district his second home and wants to contribute to its development. His ambition includes establishing a cooperative specialized in local agricultural products. Sang said apples and other fruits from the region will soon be available in domestic markets and for export.

With a projected yield of 60 tons per hectare, the farm will produce 1,200 tons of apples per year, plus a significant quantity of other fruits, Sang said.

"In the future, the farm will be able to meet export orders, even from Europe. My goal is to reach a higher market segment. With a GlobalGAP-certified farm, I’m more than ready to provide Tuy Phong apples to international markets."

The Tan My Fruit Tree Cooperative was honored in October as one of 63 exemplary cooperatives nationwide. Sang was personally honored as one of Vietnam's Outstanding Young Farmers of 2022.