A bountiful harvest of kumquats on the hills.

SGGPO November 23, 2023 10:56 AM

Planting acacia trees yields low economic returns and they are easily knocked down by annual storms. The 68-year-old farmer decided to choose kumquat trees because they are drought-tolerant, sun-resistant, easy to grow even on hilly land, and also shorter, reducing the risk of them being knocked down by storms.

Mr. Phan Xuan Tam (68 years old, Tay Phuoc village, Binh Khuong commune, Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province) has a kumquat orchard spanning over 1 hectare with more than 5,000 trees, which are currently bearing abundant fruit.

Two years ago, after researching and experimenting with new plant varieties to replace acacia trees, Mr. Tam decided to plant kumquats. After planting and caring for them, the kumquat trees have yielded abundant fruit.

Mr. Tam's kumquat garden has flourished after a period of planting and caring for the trees.

The kumquat tree, bearing its first fruits, provides a daily source of income for the family.

He shared: "Previously, this hilly land was planted with acacia trees, but acacia trees were not economically viable, and annual storms caused them to fall. I thought we needed to choose a shorter tree species to minimize falling, and I chose kumquat trees. Kumquat trees are more drought- and sun-tolerant than other types of trees, and they still thrive on hilly land."

According to Mr. Tam, kumquat trees bear fruit all year round. If fully utilized, this will improve people's income. From 5,000 kumquat trees, Mr. Tam's family can harvest more than 30kg of fruit daily, earning about 350,000 VND from selling the fruit. After selling the fruit, the kumquat trees are cared for and pruned to produce even and beautiful fruit, making them suitable as ornamental plants for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year).

Instead of waiting until Tet (Lunar New Year) to sell the trees, Mr. Tam sells the fruit every day.

Mr. Tam converted his land from acacia plantations to kumquat orchards.

To ensure his orchard remains lush and provides a good income, Mr. Tam invested in a modern irrigation system with sprinklers. This ensures a consistent watering schedule, saving both labor and time spent on maintenance.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, Chairwoman of the Farmers' Association of Binh Khuong commune, said: "The kumquat tree planting model of Mr. Phan Xuan Tam's household brings high economic efficiency. In the near future, the Farmers' Association of the commune will advise the Party committees and authorities at all levels to create conditions for farmer members to visit and learn from the model, and to replicate the effective kumquat tree planting model."

In the near future, Mr. Tam plans to expand his plantation by planting an additional 3,000 new kumquat trees. The mature trees will be planted in pots for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year), while the rest will continue to be cared for and sold for fruit.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/boi-thu-voi-cay-quat-go-doi-post715334.html