Bustling pineapple harvest season in Ban Lau

The smiles of Pac Bo

Arriving in Lao Cai’s Ban Lau commune, a land bordering China, in April, we were greeted by the bustling sight of pineapple harvesting on steep hillsides along the mountains. Large trucks lined the roads, waiting to receive heavy baskets of pineapples carried by youths from the Dao, Hmong, and Nung ethnic minorities. Under the blazing sun, everyone was drenched in sweat, yet bright smiles remained on their faces.

This year, pineapples have delivered both high yields and good prices. Traveling through villages and hamlets, one can feel the urgent yet joyful atmosphere, as prosperity is taking root in this borderland.

Following Ban Lau commune’s agricultural extension officers, we climbed to pineapple fields in Pac Bo village. Even before reaching the fields, the sweet fragrance of ripe golden pineapples filled the air. Groups of strong young men swiftly picked pineapples, packed them into baskets, and transported them by motorbike to collection points.

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Mr Ly Van Loi, a Dao ethnic youth, smiled sincerely as he spoke about this year’s harvest: “Every day I work from 6 a.m. until after 11 a.m., then continue from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Although carrying pineapples across steep slopes under the hot sun is exhausting, the results are worth it. I harvest over one ton per day for orchard owners, earning around VND 700,000-800,000/day, sometimes even more than VND 1 million/day. Pineapple harvesting lasts 4-5 months, usually ending around May or June. Working regularly, I can earn around VND 20-25 million/month.”

Besides hired labor, Mr Loi’s family also cultivates 0.5 hectares of pineapples. Though the area is not large, with prices ranging from VND 7,000-9,000/kg, the pineapple field still brings in more than VND 50 million per season.

Not far away, Mr Phan Van Dung’s family in Pac Bo village is also busy harvesting pineapples for sale to factories. This year, his family planted over 100,000 pineapple plants across more than 2 hectares, expected to yield 60–70 tons of fruit. At the current market price of around VND 7,000/kg, this season is expected to generate over VND 400 million in revenue.

Mr Dung shared: “Pineapples are usually planted in staggered crops. From planting to harvest takes about 13-15 months. They are mainly planted in autumn (around September-October) and harvested at the beginning of the following year, with the main season lasting from November to April-May. Once the plants establish roots, we weed and fertilize them. What makes Ban Lau pineapples special is the clean farming method, with minimal use of fertilizers and chemical products.”

Breaking the curse of “good harvest, low prices”

To understand why farmers can fully enjoy their success today, it is necessary to mention the role of processing enterprises in building value chains. Bringing factories closer to raw material areas has effectively solved the long-standing cycle of bumper crops leading to collapsing prices.

Mr Hoang Phu Cuong, Deputy Director of the pineapple factory of A Chau Food Company, said that with support from Lao Cai province and the former Muong Khuong district, the factory began operations in April 2020. After six years of construction and trial operations, the factory is now running stably. To secure raw materials, it has proactively established close linkages with farmers, cooperatives, and traders.

The factory signs purchasing contracts with farmers at fixed prices, which this year stand at VND 6,000/kg. While market prices can occasionally rise to VND 7,000-8,000/kg, they have also at times dropped to only VND 2,000-3,000/kg. Stable-price contracts therefore help farmers avoid market risks. At this price level, each hectare of pineapples can generate profits exceeding VND 100 million for growers.

Currently, the factory works directly with more than 30 farming households and the Thinh Phong Cooperative to produce and purchase pineapples. Processing capacity ranges from 40-60 tons/day.

Fresh Ban Lau pineapples are transported directly from the hills to the factory for processing into canned pineapple products (chunks and rings). These products are not sold domestically but are entirely exported to Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. On average, the factory exports more than 4,200 canned products annually.

One challenge is that traditional pineapple varieties can only be harvested six months per year. To retain workers and optimize production lines, the factory plans to expand off-season pineapple cultivation (harvested from July to October) to maintain year-round operations.

Following the VietGAP and organic path

The Ban Lau pineapple-growing region was established in the 1990s. Under a policy encouraging migration to border areas for economic development, Hmong ethnic communities from communes such as Din Chin and Ta Gia Khau relocated to areas like Na Loc and Coc Phuong. Pineapples were introduced experimentally using both domestic and cross-border varieties.

After more than three decades, pineapples have deeply rooted themselves in this land. Today, the commune has over 2,000 hectares of pineapple cultivation involving thousands of households. On average, each household cultivates 2–3 hectares, while some own dozens of hectares.

Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Vice Chairman of Ban Lau Commune People’s Committee, said pineapples adapt very well to climate change and are highly drought-resistant. Even without rainfall, the plants can thrive simply from dew collecting between leaves at night, making them ideal for mountainous terrain.

Local ethnic communities have cultivated pineapples for decades and have effectively become pineapple-growing experts. Combined with favorable climate and soil conditions, Ban Lau pineapples are sweeter and of superior quality compared to many other regions.

Despite these advantages, the region previously experienced periods of hardship when farmers suffered from collapsing prices. A major turning point came in 2020 when the commune attracted processing factories such as A Chau, and more recently cooperation with the Sao Mai Group through the Thinh Phong Cooperative.

“We traveled all the way to Quang Ngai to negotiate with them. They signed contracts to purchase Grade 1 pineapples (weighing 400 grams or more per fruit) at a fixed price of VND 6,200/kg. This means farmers now only need to focus on cultivation – the larger and more plentiful the fruit, the greater the profits. Regarding farming methods, the commune strictly directs growers to maintain clean production standards, avoid herbicides, and move toward VietGAP and organic certification”, Mr Hoa explained.

Looking ahead, Ban Lau authorities have outlined several strategic goals. First, continue attracting enterprises to invest in preliminary processing and deep-processing facilities to improve competitiveness, aiming for 100% of pineapple cultivation areas to participate in value chains with guaranteed purchase agreements. Second, gradually convert part of the area to MD2 pineapple varieties – a hybrid capable of producing 1.5 times higher yields and better quality, suitable for areas with lower slopes.

In addition, the commune still has significant room for expansion, with around 400 hectares of low-efficiency corn farmland ready to be converted into pineapple cultivation.

$ 1 = VND 26,368 (Source: Vietcombank).