The tree opens the way out of poverty

TPO - In recent years, the so-called “sap” tree has become a sustainable economic development direction in a mountainous commune in Nghe An. From the seemingly worthless so-called “sap” fruits, people can now earn hundreds of millions of dong each year, opening a sustainable way out of poverty.

Outstanding effectiveness of the plant on barren land

On the last morning of the year, on the road leading to Nghia Loc commune, Nghe An province, interspersed between the dark green acacia hills are the immense hills of ca trees, stretching to the foot of the mountain. The whole area seems to be dyed in a green-white color of ca trees, fragrant with the gentle scent of essential oils.

In the middle of a hill of decades-old cassia, Mr. Nguyen Van Dung (born in 1962, residing in Son Hai hamlet, Nghia Loc commune) happily boasted: "In the past, cassia was very cheap, no one was interested. But for about 5 years now, the price of cassia seeds has been stable and increased sharply. My family has 2.3 hectares, earning about 150 million VND each year."

In addition to its economic value, the tree also helps develop forests, prevent erosion, and protect the environment.

With a yield of 6 tons of fresh fruit/ha, equivalent to 3 tons of dry seeds/ha, the current selling price fluctuates around 25,000 VND/kg of dry seeds, the So tree has become the main source of income for many households here. Many households have boldly invested in care and expanded the area.

“The tree starts bearing fruit after 8 years of planting, and from the 10th year onwards, the yield is stable and one harvest can last 20-25 years with very low care costs. All you need to do is clear the undergrowth, protect the tree, and when the season comes, go to the forest to pick the fruit,” said Mr. Dung.

In early December, the season of Sophora japonica flowers begins to bloom. The pure white, fragile petals blooming in the green forest create a natural picture that is both wild and poetic. This is also an open direction for the locality to calculate and build a tour to experience the Sophora japonica flower season, combining culture - ecology - agriculture .

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung has 2.3 hectares of bamboo trees planted decades ago.

Not only does it bring economic efficiency, the So tree also plays a role in protecting the environment. The So tree's roots are deep, the tree is green all year round, is less affected by storms and winds, helps block wind, prevent erosion and protect upstream forests.

Deep processing - The key to increasing the value of cassava

From a product that was thought to be sold only in raw form, Nghia Loc people have boldly invested in machinery and production lines for deep processing, creating the product of palm oil - a high-quality, nutritious cooking oil, favored by domestic and foreign markets.

In 2019, Mr. Nguyen Duy Quang (residing in Binh Minh hamlet, Nghia Loc commune) invested more than 7 billion VND to build a factory processing essential oils of Sophora japonica with a capacity of 20 tons of fruit/day and night. Each year, the facility purchases nearly 1,000 tons of Sophora japonica. Of which, a part is processed into essential oils, the other part is pre-processed and dried for sale.

The Sophora japonica tree opens a way out of poverty for many households in Nghia Loc commune.

“Cereal oil has a high content of Omega 6 and Omega 9, equivalent to olive oil, so it is very popular in the market. Our cereal essential oil product achieved 4-star OCOP in 2020. Now that consumption is favorable, we are continuing to expand our points of sale and promote trade,” Mr. Quang shared.

In addition to Mr. Quang, Mr. Nguyen Van Luu's facility (residing in Khe Sai hamlet) is also a major purchasing point. Since 2018, he has invested billions of dong in building a drying oven system and a soy bean oil press. Each crop, he purchases over 1,100 tons of soy beans from Nghia Loc commune and neighboring areas, creating stable jobs for more than 10 workers.

However, according to Mr. Luu, processing technology is still limited. “If we receive support to invest in more modern machinery, a closed chain from drying, grinding, pressing, and extracting, the product quality will improve and meet the standards for wide export,” Mr. Luu said.

From a crop that covered bare hills, the Sophora japonica has now become a key crop creating sustainable livelihoods, contributing to poverty reduction and enriching hundreds of households in the mountainous areas of Nghe An. With stable output, developed in-depth processing and an affirmed brand, the Sophora japonica tree continues to open a sustainable way out of poverty for the mountainous areas.

Working delegation of Nghe An province visited the essential oil processing model in Nghia Loc commune.

Mr. Dao Duy Tam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Loc Commune, said that the commune currently maintains more than 250 hectares of so. On average, each hectare produces 2.5 - 3 tons of dry seeds/year, bringing in an income of about 70 million VND/ha. "So has helped many households escape poverty sustainably. The locality is developing a plan to develop so into a concentrated commodity production area, linked with processing. In particular, attracting businesses to invest in processing factories and linking consumption. Building and standardizing product brands from so to export to many markets," said Mr. Tam.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cay-so-mo-loi-thoat-ngheo-post1801738.tpo