On August 16, as part of the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival, the Dak Lak PPC held the forum on connecting durian production and consumption towards a sustainable durian ecosystem.

The forum brought together leaders of central ministries and agencies, leaders of Champasak, Salavan and Attapeu provinces of Laos, scientists, representatives of international organisations and associations, alongside more than 100 cooperatives and enterprises engaged in durian production, processing and export activities nationwide.

Comrade Do Huu Huy, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and PPC Chairman, delivering the opening remarks at the forum.

In opening remarks, Comrade Do Huu Huy, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and PPC Chairman, emphasised that for the durian sector to develop sustainably and expand its reach, the province must shift from “agricultural production” towards an “agricultural economy”, with quality, efficiency, science, technology and innovation serving as core drivers while placing people, cooperatives and enterprises at the centre.

The PPC Chairman pledged that the province would shift from a management-oriented approach towards serving and facilitating development, adopt data-driven governance, and use production and business efficiency, together with people's prosperity, as key measures of performance. He also urged departments, sectors and localities to take decisive action to remove bottlenecks, particularly by streamlining administrative procedures and ensuring that legal barriers do not hinder enterprises.

At the forum, delegates focused on solutions relating to growing areas, packing facilities, markets, quality and traceability; the deployment of digital maps, AIoT, electronic logs and QR codes; stronger inspections and closer linkages among farmers, cooperatives and enterprises through long-term contracts.

Delegates attending the forum.

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung said the durian sector needed to shift from a seasonal mindset towards a sector-wide approach, and from pursuing output towards improving quality, value and brand recognition.

One of the urgent tasks is to effectively implement the Government's Resolution No. 36 on simplifying administrative procedures related to growing area codes and packing facility codes. The Ministry commended Dak Lak for implementing the 30-day campaign to digitise and standardise data on growing area and packing facility codes while connecting them with the traceability system.

While maintaining its foothold in the traditional Chinese market and expanding into new markets such as India, the agricultural sector needs to accelerate the application of technical advances while developing deep-processing technologies and logistics.

Translated by KHUONG THAO