Enhancing the value of guava trees.
Thanh Ha guava is widely grown in the communes of Lien Mac, An Phuong, Thanh Xuan, and Tan Viet. Typically, guavas are grown for year-round fruit production. However, recently, after discovering that guava leaves and buds have many health benefits, many farmers have started collecting guava buds, drying them, and processing them into tea, contributing to the diversification of products derived from the guava tree.
Processing guava bud tea also opens up a new direction, helping to increase the economic value of guava trees and create a sustainable source of income for local farmers.
Ms. Bui Thi Hoi from Lien Mac commune said that for over 30 years, her family has mainly harvested guava fruit for sale, but in the last two years, some guava bud tea processing facilities in the commune and people from other places have come to buy the fruit. Therefore, her family has focused more on caring for the guava trees to be able to harvest both buds and fruit. While previously they only earned 8 million VND/sao/year from guava fruit, now both buds and fruit can yield 10 million VND/sao/year.
With over 3 sao (approximately 3,000 square meters) of guava trees, harvesting guava leaves and buds has been a source of joy for Mrs. Vu Thi Thom in An Phuong commune for many months now. While the guavas are still small and not yet ready for harvest, she regularly visits the fields to pick buds to sell. On slow days, she gets about ten kilograms, and on busy days, up to 20 kilograms to sell to traders who come to buy directly from her orchard. "As long as you work hard, you'll always have some money coming in," Mrs. Thom happily says.
To harvest guava buds and fruit, after each harvest, guava growers fertilize the trees to encourage new shoots and buds, and importantly, they do not use pesticides, following VietGAP production standards to ensure safety for consumers.
The production process of guava bud tea is not overly complicated but requires meticulous attention to detail. After harvesting, the guava buds are cleaned, naturally air-dried, and then processed manually to preserve their medicinal properties. Guava bud tea not only has a delicate aroma but also contains many nutrients beneficial to health. It aids digestion, reduces bad cholesterol, and detoxifies the body, making it increasingly popular in the market.
With its vast raw material area, Thanh Ha farmers not only supply guava buds to processing facilities within the district but also attract many traders from other places to purchase them.
Sustainable development
The use of guava buds for tea production not only helps farmers diversify their products but also reduces agricultural resource waste. Ms. Le Thi Lieu, a guava bud collector in Thanh Ha, Thanh Lang commune, said: "Previously, guava buds were almost worthless, but since people started making tea from them, we have gained an additional source of income from collecting and supplying fresh guava buds. The selling price of guava buds is not as high as that of guava fruit, but it is more stable and helps farmers maximize the value of the tree."
Ms. Luong Thi Cuc, representative of Nam Vu Clean Agriculture Cooperative (Thanh Ha), said that with the abundant potential of the fertile guava growing region, the production and processing of guava leaves and buds into tea is very favorable. On average, the cooperative supplies thousands of boxes of tea to the market each month. To ensure food safety and hygiene, the cooperative has invested billions of VND to purchase equipment and machinery and build a brand for guava bud tea. "To date, the cooperative's guava bud tea has achieved OCOP 3-star standard and is being sold well in several supermarkets and retailers," Ms. Cuc said.
Currently, there are several guava bud tea production facilities in Thanh Ha district, with three in Lien Mac commune alone. This is also the area with the largest guava growing area in Thanh Ha district, with approximately 500 hectares.
Mr. Pham Van Canh, Chairman of the Lien Mac Commune People's Committee, said that modern consumer trends are shifting towards products of natural origin, free from chemical preservatives. Guava bud tea fully meets these criteria and is attracting interest from many private businesses and even large enterprises for distribution in supermarkets and export. The income of the commune's residents is gradually increasing thanks to the additional income from guava buds.
According to Mr. Canh, with their creativity and resourcefulness, local farmers not only maximize the potential of this traditional crop but also contribute to the sustainable development of guava cultivation. However, the local authorities encourage people not to expand production facilities indiscriminately but to cooperate for better production and consumption, prioritizing food safety and hygiene.
MINH NGUYENSource: https://baohaiduong.vn/bien-bup-oi-thanh-tra-huong-di-moi-cua-nong-dan-thanh-ha-407918.html
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