Buddha's hand citron tree in Lien Chau

Traders are buying Buddha's hand fruit at the farm of Mr. Nguyen Quang Hoa's family in Lien Chau commune.

These days, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hoa's family is busy tending to, pruning, and adjusting the nutrition of their Buddha's hand citron orchard, preparing for the peak harvest season to meet the demand of people during the Lunar New Year. Mr. Hoa is from Hoai Duc commune ( Hanoi ), a locality famous for its Buddha's hand citron cultivation. However, due to depleted soil and declining production efficiency, about five years ago, he and several other households moved to Lien Chau, renting riverside land along the Red River to revive the traditional craft. Today, his family's orchard has nearly 1,000 trees, generating an average annual revenue of approximately 600 million VND and providing regular employment for dozens of local workers.

Mr. Hoa shared: “I noticed that the alluvial soil here is very suitable, loose, rich in silt, and has a favorable water source, so I boldly rented more than 1 hectare of land to grow Buddha's hand citron. Initially, I faced many difficulties because Buddha's hand citron is a rather 'fussy' plant, requiring meticulous care from watering and pruning to pest and disease control. However, if you master the techniques, the tree bears fruit almost year-round, with stable yields and high economic value. The main season for Buddha's hand citron is during the Lunar New Year, when the price can reach several hundred thousand dong per fruit. On normal days, the price of Buddha's hand citron is 30-40 thousand dong per fruit, but during holidays, large, beautiful fruits with many 'fingers' can be sold for 200-500 thousand dong per fruit.”

Along with Mr. Hoa, Mr. Nguyen Tat Sang's family is one of the pioneering households that boldly invested in growing Buddha's hand citron in Lien Chau. In 2021, Mr. Sang leased 1 hectare of land and planted about 600 Buddha's hand citron trees. Besides learning from the experiences of other households, he proactively researched various models inside and outside the province, combining this with studying documents and information on the internet to apply to his production.

Mr. Sang shared: “Growing Buddha's hand citron requires meticulous attention to detail and years of experience. The trees don't always bear fruit uniformly, so growers must know how to intervene at the right time to ensure the trees flower and bear fruit year-round. On average, my family's Buddha's hand citron orchard yields 5-7 quintals of fruit per harvest. During peak months, the selling price is many times higher than usual, providing my family with a stable income.”

Buddha's hand citron tree in Lien Chau

The Buddha's hand citron cultivation model of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan's family in Nhat Chieu village, Lien Chau commune, generates an income of approximately 400 million VND per year.

Previously, most of the land owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan's family in Nhat Chieu village was used for growing red bananas and papayas. Recognizing the potential of Buddha's hand citron, her family leased additional land from other households, converting over 4 acres to cultivate more than 900 Buddha's hand citron trees. With careful cultivation and the application of special techniques, the family's Buddha's hand citron orchard produces fruit year-round, with an average of 50-70 fruits per tree; after deducting expenses, they earn an average income of approximately 400 million VND per year, providing regular employment for about 10 local laborers.

Currently, Buddha's hand citron trees are mainly grown in the alluvial plains along the Red River in Nhat Chieu village, Lien Chau commune. Thanks to the fertile soil and suitable climate, the trees thrive, producing beautiful fruit with a distinctive aroma. A highlight of this crop is its high economic value, especially during the Lunar New Year. While the average price of Buddha's hand citron throughout the year ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 VND per fruit, from the 15th day of the 12th lunar month onwards, the price can double or triple; large, beautiful fruits with many evenly spaced branches and a golden yellow color can reach 300,000 to 500,000 VND per fruit, or even higher.

Notably, most Buddha's hand citron growers in the commune now primarily apply organic farming methods to ensure consumer safety, maintain attractive appearance, and preserve natural aroma.

Recognizing the economic potential and long-term value of the Buddha's hand citron tree, the Lien Chau commune government has included this crop in its agricultural development plan, focusing on specialized, concentrated cultivation with a total area of approximately 30 hectares. The Buddha's hand citron cultivation model not only brings economic benefits to the people but also contributes to changing the face of rural Lien Chau. Previously fragmented and inefficient riverside land plots have now been transformed into large-scale, concentrated cultivation areas. Along with the development of the Buddha's hand citron crop, the infrastructure serving production, such as internal field roads and irrigation canals, has been gradually invested in and upgraded; the material and spiritual lives of the people have improved, contributing positively to the construction of advanced new rural areas in the locality.

However, the biggest challenge currently facing Buddha's hand fruit growers in Lien Chau is the lack of a stable market. Although traders buy year-round, the market remains heavily dependent on the Lunar New Year; the product's brand is not yet strong, making it vulnerable to price manipulation. In addition, rising labor costs and unpredictable weather also pose significant risks to production.

In the coming period, Lien Chau commune will continue to review and finalize the planning for concentrated Buddha's hand citron growing areas; encourage people to promote the application of scientific and technological advancements in production; guide people to apply safe and organic Buddha's hand citron cultivation and care processes to improve product quality. At the same time, it will organize technical training, transfer high-quality Buddha's hand citron varieties, support people in accessing preferential capital sources to develop production; and encourage linkages along the value chain to enhance the competitiveness of products in the market.

Thuy Huong

Source: https://baophutho.vn/cay-phat-thu-tren-dat-lien-chau-245901.htm