The 'key' to helping people in mountainous communes escape poverty.

TPO - From a crop used to alleviate poverty, lemon trees are now becoming a key product, bringing high economic value and a sustainable future to farmers in Mai Hoa commune (Ha Tinh province).

Once a disadvantaged mountainous region in Ha Tinh province, Mai Hoa commune (formed by the merger of An Phu, Duc Giang, and Duc Linh communes) has been gradually thriving in recent years thanks to lemon cultivation. Lemon trees are not only easy to grow and suitable for hilly terrain, but they also provide a stable income, helping many households escape poverty and become well-off or wealthy in the locality.

In early July, the people of Mai Hoa commune are busy with the main lemon harvest. On the hillsides, trucks loaded with lemons are constantly coming and going. Many families are starting to earn millions of dong per day from selling lemons directly from their orchards.

According to local residents, more than 10 years ago, lemons were only planted sporadically and haphazardly in home gardens for household use. However, realizing that the lemon variety was suitable for hilly land, easy to grow, resistant to pests and diseases, and produced fruit year-round, people in Mai Hoa commune began to expand the planting area.

In Cao Phong village, Mai Hoa commune, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuong's family is one of the households with the largest lemon orchards in the region, totaling over 2 hectares. Mrs. Thuong's hillside with 800 lemon trees is currently being harvested. Every day, she and her relatives go up the hill early in the morning to pick lemons in time for delivery to traders. Mrs. Thuong expects to harvest about 36 tons of fruit, generating revenue of approximately 300 million VND.

"Thanks to lemon trees, my family not only escaped poverty but also accumulated some savings. Lemons are easy to grow, easy to care for, and have a stable market, so we are very happy," Mrs. Thuong shared.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuong (Cao Phong village) harvests lemons to sell to traders.

In Cao Phong village, Mr. Nguyen Van An is also one of the successful lemon growers. With over 300 trees, he harvests nearly 15 tons of fruit each season, selling it on the market at an average price of 9,000 VND/kg, bringing in an income of over 100 million VND.

"For lemon tree cultivation, the technique isn't too difficult; the important thing is choosing a quality variety and caring for the trees at each stage of development. Our family mainly uses organic fertilizers to limit the use of chemical fertilizers, so the trees are healthy. Thanks to lemon trees, my family has a year-round source of income," Mr. An shared.

From a single, spontaneously grown crop, lemons have become the main crop in Mai Hoa commune, helping hundreds of households escape poverty and stabilize their lives. Many households have not only escaped poverty but have also accumulated wealth, expanded their production models, and become well-off or wealthy households from agriculture right on their family's hillside gardens.

These days, the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan (Cua Linh village, Mai Hoa commune) is also excitedly harvesting lemons. Currently, her family cultivates nearly 50 trees, harvesting 1-2 quintals of fruit daily to sell to traders. The current price of lemons at the farm ranges from 8,000 to 9,000 VND/kg. With a long harvesting period, she estimates that the entire season will yield nearly 2 tons of lemons, equivalent to over 15 million VND.

“Lemon trees yield two harvests a year, the main harvest from July to the end of August, and the off-season harvest from the end of December to February of the following year. If properly cared for and using the right techniques, a lemon tree can live for more than 20 years. In recent years, traders come directly to the orchards to buy the fruit during harvest season, making the selling process much easier for the farmers,” Ms. Loan shared.

Lemons are harvested by locals and sold to traders.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Nghi, Secretary of the Party Branch of Cua Linh village (Mai Hoa commune), currently more than 80 households in the village grow lemons, with an average of 50-100 lemon trees per household. For many years, lemon trees have become the main crop, bringing in a considerable income for the people, averaging 30-50 million VND per household per harvest.

“Lemon trees thrive in the hilly soil of this region. All the people need to do is use proper techniques and supplement with organic fertilizer, and the trees will grow well, bear abundant fruit, and experience minimal fruit drop. Lemons are a crop that helps the poor rise to wealth,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Nghi, Secretary of the Party Branch of Cua Linh village.

According to local experience, lemon trees begin bearing fruit 12–18 months after planting and can be harvested continuously for 15–20 years. Thanks to the two distinct harvests, lemon growers can earn income year-round, without interruption like many other crops.

According to statistics from the People's Committee of Mai Hoa commune, there are nearly 350 hectares of lemon orchards in the area, of which 300 hectares are producing fruit, with an estimated total yield of about 7,500 tons. Each kilogram of lemons is being purchased by traders at the farm gate for 8,000–10,000 VND, depending on the variety. The local government is also actively supporting farmers in technical aspects, production organization, and market connections. At the same time, they are coordinating with relevant agencies to monitor prices, prevent price manipulation, and protect the rights of farmers.

Hoai Nam

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chia-khoa-giup-nguoi-dan-xa-mien-nui-thoat-ngheo-post1758517.tpo