From Thai Binh’s Longan Orchards to Handcrafted Drying Trays

Every longan season, farmers in Dong Hoa commune (Thai Binh province) closely watch their orchards as tons of fruit ripen. Yet, not all longans make it to the market. Fallen fruits, smaller sizes, or sun-damaged ones are often left behind. At Green Snack, this is where the journey begins.
 

We connected with five longan-growing households in Thai Binh and committed to purchasing these “discarded” fruits. Our volunteer team joined local farmers in harvesting, sorting, peeling, and removing seeds from the longans, right in their backyards. Over 10 local workers—mostly elderly—helped prepare the fruits and arranged them on woven bamboo trays with mesh lining for drying.
 

The traditional wood-fired dryer was slightly upgraded to maintain a stable temperature for 14–16 hours, allowing each longan to dry evenly while preserving its natural sweetness and texture—no sugar or preservatives added. Once dried, the fruits were vacuum-packed on-site and transported to Hanoi for sale at trade fairs and online.
 

In the first season, this initiative helped rescue over 300kg of longans that would have gone to waste, while creating jobs for 10 workers at a daily rate of 200,000–250,000 VND. For us, each dried longan pack represents not just a snack, but a heartfelt tribute to the land and its harvest.