A pathway to digitising Vietnamese mango value chains to facilitate international export growth

Abstract

Recent growth in global demand for fresh mangoes has created an attractive export opportunity for Vietnam’s mango industry. However, accessing international markets requires adherence to stringent quality, safety, and traceability standards. This article highlights three key areas where digital information technology (DIT) can enhance the efficiency of Vietnam’s mango export value chain to meet these requirements. First, DIT can improve communication and the sharing of market information among stakeholders while simultaneously enhancing quality, safety, and traceability standards. Second, digital technology can automate various activities within the value chain, creating opportunities to reduce production costs and improve product uniformity. Finally, it can facilitate the recording and tracking of stakeholders’ activities to ensure compliance with traceability requirements. However, the adoption of digital technology by mango farmers remains limited due to the need for substantial investment capital, a lack of DIT-related skills, and the traditional absence of farm record-keeping for improving management practices. This study found that both financial and non-financial government support programmes are essential for the widespread adoption of digital technology across the mango value chain. These programmes can provide the necessary resources and training to develop a more efficient and competitive mango export value chain.