In recent years, jackfruit plantations have become a new source of income for farmers in Hanoi.

These days, Pham Xuan Truong's family in Co Dong Commune, Son Tay Town, Hanoi, is busy harvesting and selling jackfruits.  

Pham Xuan Truong stands by a tree laden with jackfruit. File Photos

Delicious jackfruit from Son Tay Town.

"Son Tay jackfruit has grown in popularity over the years. Co Dong and Son Dong jackfruit, in particular, are well known throughout the country among the many good jackfruit varieties in Hanoi," Phung Huy Vinh, Deputy Head of Son Tay Town People's Committee, told The Hanoi Times.

Currently, Son Tay Town has more than 100 hectares of jackfruit plantations spread across nine of its 15 communes, according to Dao Xuan Hong Hai, Head of Son Tay Town's Economic Division.

"Jackfruit plantations earn more than VND280 billion (US$11 million) a year. In addition to the fruit, the wood from the trees, which are several decades old or more, also provides income for the people," Hai said.

The jackfruit trees, which are several decades old, provide people with an income thanks to the wood they produce.

In addition to traditional jackfruit varieties, farmers have planted green-skinned jackfruit from Thailand, yellow jackfruit from Indonesia, and red jackfruit from Malaysia. However, the crunchiness, sweetness, and flavor of Vietnamese jackfruit varieties stand out and are increasingly being chosen by consumers. 

According to statistics from the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), the total area under jackfruit in the city is currently around 1,135 hectares. The average yield of the jackfruit plantations is nearly 148 hundred tons per hectare; the average total production is about 14,100 tons per year.

In addition to Son Tay town, jackfruit trees are grown extensively in several other districts, including Phuc Tho, Ba Vi, Chuong My, Thach That, Quoc Oai, My Duc, Thanh Oai, and others.

Jackfruit products from Hanoi's Chuong My District at an event held by the DARD on July 5 to promote OCOP products in the Red River Delta provinces and the city's specialty of jackfruit. Photo: Anh Kiet/The Hanoi Times

"In Hanoi, one jackfruit tree in Co Loa Commune, Dong Anh District, and 28 others in Ba Vi and Son Tay Town have been recognized as a source of high-quality seeds for the expansion of jackfruit cultivation in Hanoi," said Nguyen Manh Phuong, Deputy Director of DARD.

The official stressed that the Hanoi government has paid special attention to the development of jackfruit plantations. Recently, the Department of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology granted a collective trademark to "Son Tay Jackfruit" for marketing purposes.

To sustainably promote Hanoi's jackfruit industry, DARD will coordinate with localities in the coming period to review all jackfruit growing areas and seek supportive policies from the city's People's Committee.

"To improve the economic efficiency of jackfruit plantations, DARD will set mechanisms and policies to encourage businesses to participate in the chain from production to consumption. At the same time, it is necessary to establish geographical indications for jackfruit products," Phuong told The Hanoi Times.