The 14 hectare expansion at Dalat Hasfarm Vietnam is nearing completion, the expansion will take the total area under production in Vietnam to 190 hectares and the total area within the Hasfarm Holdings Group to 227 hectares.
"We commenced the expansion in January and despite Covid-19 we have managed to keep the project on track, the first plantings will commence next week", says Paul Walker, COO at Dalat Hasfarm. The expansion will consist of 11 hectares of cut flowers and 3 hectares of pot plants. The cut flower expansion will be mainly chrysanthemums and will serve both the domestic and export channels whilst the pot plants will be for the domestic market and will also cater for the uplift in demand for the Tet Holiday (Vietnamese Lunar New Year).
The year started on a high in January with Hasfarm Holdings being the Gold winner in the cut flowers & bulbs category at the AIPH international grower of the year awards. Covid-19 started to affect them in April. A three week semi-lockdown saw a decrease in domestic sales and exports by air were considerably reduced for a few weeks, fortunately our sea freight exports actually increased, in particular to Australia. We destroyed millions of stems in April and May but the good news was that our 3,400 dedicated employees in Vietnam all continued to work throughout the situation, albeit in shift systems whilst complying with our social distancing and health measures."
According to Walker, June and July has seen a new normal begin with social distancing measures removed and a welcome increase in demand driven by both domestic sales and Japan, which fits in well with the timing of the upcoming completion of the expansion.
For more information:
Dalat Hasfarm
Paul Walker
Email: paulwalker@dalathasfarm.com
www.dalathasfarm.com
www.hasfarmholdings.com