Can Tho farmer turns 5,000m2 vineyard into green tourist attraction

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan (Can Tho City) owns a 5,000m2 vineyard, with hundreds of grape trees laden with fruit. Notably, he opens the garden for free for tourists to visit and experience the new agricultural model.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan's 5,000m2 vineyard with more than 500 trees in Dong Thuan commune has been known to many people for over a year.

Mr. Tuan said that a few years ago, during a trip to Ninh Thuan province (old), he had the opportunity to visit the vineyards.

“I really like the cool green vineyards with bunches of fruit. After returning to Can Tho , I originally planned to switch from growing rice to durian, but suddenly remembered the grapevines so I decided to buy 100 trees to try planting on an area of ​​300 square meters,” he said.

Nguyen Minh Tuan owns a vineyard with more than 500 trees and an area of ​​5,000 square meters. Photo: TX

Due to lack of experience and only learning how to grow grapes online, at first he encountered many difficulties from creating branches, processing flowers to taking care of the plants.

“The climate in the West is humid, so the plants grow unevenly and are susceptible to many pests and diseases. I persevered in reading documents, learning from many vineyard owners in the West, and gradually came up with techniques suitable for the climate and soil here,” said Mr. Tuan, adding that at first he planted two varieties: candy grapes and black grapes.

After more than 1 year of experimental planting, the grapes began to adapt well and produce sweet fruit. At this time, Mr. Tuan expanded the area to 5,000m2 and developed the "open garden" model combined with experiential tourism . Currently, his garden has more than 10 types of grapes, such as: red grapes, peony grapes, candy grapes, black summer grapes...

Candy grapes in Mr. Tuan's garden. Photo: TX

The bunches of grapes in Mr. Tuan's garden. Photo: TX

The special thing is that the vineyard does not charge an entrance fee. Visitors are free to visit, take photos, experience grape picking and buy grapes on the spot.

“Currently, in my garden, there are only black grapes that are bearing fruit, so there is no fee. Visitors can come to visit, take pictures for free, and buy grapes on the spot. During the summer or Tet, when the grapes are ripe, I will sell drinks for 30,000 VND per person, so visitors can freely visit and take pictures,” Mr. Tuan shared.

The number of visitors to his vineyard is increasing, especially on holidays, weekends and grape ripening season.

Mr. Tuan said that each year the garden has two main crops. During Tet, he leaves the entire area to bear fruit, attracting 100-200 visitors per day. After Tet, he leaves the fruit scattered on each trellis to extend the time to serve visitors, averaging 40 visitors per day.

The price of grapes sold at the garden is from 80,000 to 200,000 VND/kg, depending on the type and market price. “Because I sell on the spot, without going through a trader, I can control the price and not be afraid of being forced to pay. Tourists can also be assured of the quality because they can see the growing process firsthand,” said Mr. Tuan.

In addition, he also invested in producing bonsai grapes, which are both beautiful and can be harvested in the following seasons. This product has already had many customers ordering it even though it is not yet the season.

Peony grapes. Photo: TX

Tourists visit Mr. Tuan's vineyard. Photo: TX

Currently, his vineyard uses a combination of organic and inorganic farming methods. He prioritizes the use of organic fertilizers and limits pesticides to ensure fruit quality while creating a safe environment for visitors, especially children.

To limit pathogens, growing grapes in greenhouses is very important. In addition, fertilization, watering and pest control techniques are similar to other fruit trees. Grape varieties have quite similar care processes, the growing time is about 6.5-7 months to be able to process flowering.

“Growing grapes combined with tourism helps me to be proactive in output, increasing my income many times over compared to just selling agricultural products. More importantly, tourists get to experience reality, learn more about clean agriculture, thereby creating trust and long-term attachment to my products,” Mr. Tuan shared.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/anh-nong-dan-can-tho-bien-vuon-nho-5-000m2-thanh-diem-du-lich-xanh-hut-khach-2456240.html