As import markets increasingly tighten their standards, protecting the Dak Lak durian brand has become essential for enhancing the agricultural product value while safeguarding reputation, market access alongside farmers’ livelihoods.

In late July 2026, a consignment of durian produced by 10 households in Krong Pac was auctioned directly at the orchard. From an area exceeding 14 hectares, approximately 350 tons of export-standard Dona durian were purchased at 68,000 VND/kg, 13,000 VND above the opening bid, generating around 4.5 billion VND for the growers.

Ms. Ho Thi Hue, one of the participating farmers, noted that before signing the contract, the company inspected each orchard, reviewed cultivation practices together with technical records, as well as collected samples for cadmium and heavy-metal analysis. For Ms. Hue, adhering to the proper procedures resulted in receiving a fair price.

Domestic agricultural experts inspecting coupled with evaluating the quality of durian arriving at a warehouse in Ea Knuec commune.

Ms. Dinh Thi Hoa, Director of Nguyen Thuan Import-Export Co., Ltd. - the winning bidder for the consignment - explained that the company decided to sign the contract because the production area satisfied three essential criteria: stable output, consistent quality combined with transparent documentation.

The value of a durian now lies not only in its quality but also in its growing area code, packing facility code, production logs along with testing outcomes. These elements form a “profile” that enables traceability coupled with accountability whenever violations occur.

Building a “shield” for brand protection

At the Krong Pac Organic Agricultural Service Cooperative, over 200 of Mr. Le Van Vinh’s durian trees have been assigned QR codes. Every step of the process, from fertilizing alongside spraying pesticide to pest monitoring together with yield forecasting, is updated on the system to facilitate traceability. Mr. Mai Dinh Tho, Chairman of the Cooperative’s Board of Directors, believes that the most critical factor is not the QR code itself, but the data integrity. Input materials must have verified origins, participating households must adhere to a unified process, as well as harvest yields must align with actual cultivation areas.

The provincial agricultural officials along with business representatives touring the facility to learn about the durian production process sourced from certified growing areas in Ea Knuec commune.

Sharing this view, agricultural expert Hoang Trong Thuy asserts that traceability requires control over the entire production chain rather than relying solely on the QR code. Noticeably, information regarding growing areas can be made public, while data on yields, contracts together with customers requires strict access controls to prevent duplication or counterfeiting.

Starting July 1st, 2026, the national traceability system for agricultural, forestry alongside fishery products officially launched, enabling to integrate data from growing areas, packing facilities combined with testing outcomes, thereby reducing paperwork coupled with shortening traceability timelines. Nevertheless, brand protection still hinges on farmers, cooperatives along with businesses adhering procedures, as well as rigorous inspection and enforcement by regulatory agencies to combat fraudulent use of growing area codes.

According to Ms. Dang Thi Thuy, Deputy Director of the Dak Lak Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the locality needs to focus on long-term development strategies, including expanding cold storage, deep-processing capabilities, expanding the domestic market in conjunction with diversifying export destinations to reduce reliance on a single distribution channel. In a market that increasingly prioritizes transparency, ensuring that actual product quality consistently matches traceability data is key to safeguarding the brand, retaining market share, as well as creating opportunities for sustainable growth.

Translated by TRINH THUY