Cao Phong oranges enter new season, promising bumper harvest

In the last days of October, on all the roads leading to the orange capital of Cao Phong, the atmosphere has begun to bustle. The dry autumn sunshine is like pouring honey, causing the orange gardens with heavy branches to gradually turn a golden, clean color. A new crop season is officially beginning, bringing with it not only the distinctive flavor of Muong specialties but also the hope of a year of bountiful harvest and "sweet fruit" after many days of hard work.

Harvesting early oranges

The orange orchards are starting to “light up” signaling a bustling harvest season. Each bunch of plump fruit, hidden under the green canopy, hangs down to the ground like an attractive invitation. The Cao Phong orange harvest in 2025 has officially begun, promising to bring to the market tens of thousands of tons of quality fruit, crystallized from the quintessence of the Northwest land and sky and an increasingly standardized cultivation process.

To best feel the joy of the farmers, we visited the garden of more than 3,600 m2 of Mr. Pham Duc Mong's family (Zone 2, Cao Phong commune).

Located not far from Highway 6, the garden is carefully tended, spotlessly clean, making a strong impression with rows of orange trees taller than a person, with lush branches and leaves, and heavy fruit hanging down to the ground. In the middle of the golden orange garden, Mr. Mong and his wife are busy harvesting the first fruits of the season.

Mr. Mong shared that this garden is 18 years old. With perseverance, hard work, investment, and strict adherence to safe production processes, his family's orange garden has always maintained stable productivity and quality. This year the weather has been very favorable. There has been little rain in the past two months, sunny days and foggy nights, these ideal conditions help the oranges ripen slowly, accumulating a high level of sweetness.

The orange garden is over 3000 m2 wide and is expected to yield about 17-18 tons of oranges.

Looking at the juicy, thin-segmented oranges, holding them heavy in your hand, you can see that the farmers' hard work is well rewarded. The sweet, refreshing taste of Cao Phong oranges makes anyone who tries them satisfied.

Mr. Mong estimates that the total output of the garden this year will be about 17-18 tons. With the selling price at the garden ranging from 20,000 VND/kg, this crop promises to bring a significant source of income. Not only stopping at selling raw fruit, Mr. Mong said he is planning to organize more tourism activities and experiences in the garden. This is a new direction, both helping to create a service that connects directly with the market and promoting the image of his hometown oranges to tourists.

Mong's family's story is not unique. Many other orange growing households also have good feelings about this year's orange crop. Pham Van Cuong, in Cao Phong commune, owns about 3 hectares of oranges, of which his 1 hectare garden of new orange varieties has just started to bear fruit and has now sold several hundred kilograms of fruit, priced at 20,000-25,000 VND, and expects to recover his investment this year.

Early season oranges are sweet and cool

Cao Phong orange region, known as the largest orange orchard in the Northwest region, is showing a strong revival in recent years after a period of decline due to soil degradation and pests.

The selling price of oranges on the market is from 25-30,000 VND/kg.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Luong, Head of Market Planning Department of Cao Phong Hoa Binh Company Limited, the unit is managing about 390 hectares of citrus trees (with 1,600 contracted households), of which 170 hectares are in the business period. The main varieties are still Long Vang oranges (accounting for 70%) and Canh oranges (about 20%).

Currently, all households strictly follow the production process according to VietGAP standards. Cao Phong Farm Association also continuously organizes training courses on soil treatment techniques, planting techniques, care and disease prevention, especially prioritizing integrated pest management methods (IPM) and the use of microbial pesticides.

The entire Cao Phong orange growing area covers an area of ​​about 1700-1800 hectares, and is expected to supply the market with tens of tons of output per crop year. The product quality is highly appreciated and favored by the market, helping orange trees continue to maintain their position as a key crop, bringing in quite high economic efficiency.

This year's orange season begins in September with Wenzhou tangerines and lasts until the end of April next year with other orange varieties. In recent years, the selling price has been stable, reflecting the true value of the product. In particular, Duong Canh oranges still maintain a high price, ranging from 60,000 - 70,000 VND/kg in the garden, while Long Vang oranges range from 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg.

Thanks to the unique soil and climate characteristics, Cao Phong oranges possess a flavor that cannot be found anywhere else: fresh, sweet, juicy, naturally deep yellow, thick flesh and a distinctive aroma. Eating a juicy orange segment, diners feel like they are fully enjoying the freshness of the Northwest nature spreading in their mouths.

To avoid confusion for consumers, gardeners, cooperatives and local authorities recommend that consumers choose products from reputable distribution systems, order online directly from gardeners, or look for products with clear packaging and labels, especially electronic traceability stamps and the "Cao Phong Orange" Geographical Indication logo.

Cao Phong oranges are now not only an agricultural specialty, but also have a special appeal, becoming an attractive tourist product. For many years, every time the oranges ripen, thousands of tourists from all over the world eagerly come to Cao Phong.

To enhance the brand and turn typical agricultural products into an attractive tourism brand, the Cao Phong Orange Festival is held annually to promote and boost trade. Currently, Cao Phong commune is starting preparations to organize the Cao Phong Orange Festival scheduled for the end of November 2025. Solutions are being deployed synchronously to maximize the value of orange trees, with the goal of attracting more and more tourists to come and enjoy the sweet aroma of Muong specialties.

Le Chung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/cam-cao-phong-vao-vu-moi-hua-hen-boi-thu-241821.htm