Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong, a member of the Tan Thuan Strawberry Cooperative, owns a strawberry farm with 5-8 year old strawberries.
The Tan Thuan Strawberry Cooperative has been established and operating for over 10 years with 16 members and a cultivated area of approximately 9.6 hectares. The main variety grown is the Siamese strawberry, accounting for about 70% of the area; the remainder consists of Ha Chau strawberry, Bon Bon strawberry, green strawberry, etc.
Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong, a member of the Tan Thuan Mulberry Cooperative, currently has 300 mulberry trees aged 5-8 years that are yielding fruit. Previously, his garden was planted with seedless lemons. In 2018, he gradually switched to growing mulberries.
According to Mr. Dong, growing Siamese mulberry trees doesn't require much care. On average, gardeners only need to pump mud and mound the soil around the base of the trees once every two years. The fruiting process is simple, and the trees are resistant to pests and diseases, so there's no need to use pesticides. Mulberry trees start bearing fruit after about 3-4 years and provide a stable harvest in subsequent years. To ease the workload, three years ago he installed an automatic irrigation system at a cost of about 80 million VND.
Siamese strawberries typically begin to be harvested in March or April and continue until around June. Currently, the price of Siamese strawberries ranges from 16,000 to 18,000 VND/kg. At the peak of the season, traders come to the orchards to buy them at 25,000 VND/kg.
According to Mr. Vo Thanh Tong, head of the Tan Thuan Strawberry Cooperative, the Phong Dien (formerly) area, now comprising Phong Dien, Truong Long, and Nhon Ai communes in Can Tho City, has long been famous for its Ha Chau and Siamese strawberry gardens. Siamese strawberries, in particular, have outstanding advantages such as requiring little care, high yield, large, golden-yellow fruit, and a sweet, refreshing taste that is highly favored by the market. On average, the cooperative can supply 180-200 tons of strawberries to the market each season. After deducting expenses, each hectare of Siamese strawberries can yield a profit of approximately 200 million VND.
Mr. Nguyen The Hung, Deputy Head of the Tan Thuan Strawberry Cooperative, shared that in recent years, the So Dua road passing through the hamlet has been upgraded to 4 meters wide, allowing trucks with a capacity of about 1 ton to access the orchards for fruit collection. Convenient transportation means that strawberries no longer need to be transported by boat. Thanks to traders coming directly to the orchards to purchase the fruit, the strawberries maintain their freshness and the price remains stable. The cooperative's cultivation area has been enclosed by dikes. As a result, regulating water for irrigation and restricting water supply in the 10th lunar month to encourage flowering and fruiting is more convenient than in previous years.
Amidst the fluctuating prices of durian and many other fruits, the resilient Siamese mulberry tree provides a stable income for farmers. Monthly, the Tan Thuan Siamese Mulberry Cooperative meets to share information about the mulberry orchards, grafting techniques, soil preparation, environmentally friendly farming practices, and care methods to ensure beautiful fruit that fetches a good price.
For the members of the Cooperative, the Siamese mulberry tree is not only a key crop but also a testament to the spirit of mutual support and overcoming difficulties together among the veteran gardeners. The determination to maintain the Siamese mulberry orchards is a way for the members to preserve this traditional fruit, a specialty of their homeland, while simultaneously preserving cultural beauty and providing a stable and sustainable income for their families.
Text and photos: MINH HUYEN
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/chung-tay-giu-gin-vuon-dau-truyen-thong-a204978.html
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