The story of getting rich in Phu Hai 1 betel nut village.

The spacious houses nestled amidst lush green betel nut gardens and the happy smiles of the people in Phu Hai 1 village, Phu Nhuan commune, Bao Thang district, are testament to the "wealth" they possess. The story of how they became rich from growing betel nuts in Phu Hai 1 is also fascinating.

Located about 2 km from the center of Phu Nhuan commune, Phu Hai 1 village has 140 households, consisting of both local residents and those who migrated from Hai Phong and Nam Dinh to build a new economic zone. The name Phu Hai, meaning "fertile sea area," was likely chosen to reflect the aspirations of the villagers, who hoped to develop this land into a prosperous and beautiful place. Today, that hope is gradually becoming a reality as the betel nut tree – one of the main crops here – is proving its sustainable economic value.

Upon arriving in Phu Hai 1 village, many are amazed by the peaceful scenery with rows of straight, fruit-laden betel nut trees. Nearly half of the households in Phu Hai grow betel nut trees, utilizing everything from fences and pond banks to gardens and roadsides. Notably, the villagers only cultivate the native betel nut variety (the long-fruited variety) because of its high economic value.

Ms. Vu Thi Khanh's family has been growing betel nut trees for seven years. Her garden currently has over 1,000 trees, 700 of which are producing fruit, and she continues to propagate seedlings to plant more in the garden next to her house. Sitting at a stone table under the lush green betel nut trees, Ms. Khanh recounted that her betel nut cultivation process stemmed from being "scolded" so much by her parents-in-law. When she married into the family, she saw neighboring households growing betel nut trees, but she and her husband wanted to develop their economy in a different way. She cultivated vegetables in her garden, but after a while, the lack of a stable market outlet left the family struggling financially. At this point, her parents-in-law encouraged them to plant betel nut trees, believing they were easy to grow, easy to care for, and offered a stable market.

“My parents were getting impatient because my husband and I weren’t changing our farming methods, and they scolded us for not knowing how to do business. After being nagged so much, my husband and I reluctantly listened to them, and that’s how we ended up with the betel nut garden we have today,” Ms. Khanh recalled.

Ms. Khanh's betel nut garden yields 24 tons of fresh fruit annually, with an average selling price of 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg, resulting in a total income of approximately 400 - 500 million VND.

Not far away is the betel nut garden of Mr. Pham Minh Khai's family, with over 400 trees, most of which are about 20 years old, and the rest 7-8 years old. Mr. Pham Minh Khai shared that the betel nut tree is a "friend" that helps his family, as well as other households in the village, have a stable income. This type of tree is well-suited to Vietnam's climate and soil, and has been associated with Vietnamese families for generations. Therefore, it doesn't require much care; the trees simply grow and bear abundant fruit. From the betel nut garden, Mr. Khai's family earns more than 100 million VND per year. For the elderly, this is a stable income, and they even save money to help their children financially.

The success of betel nut cultivation by the families of Mr. Pham Minh Khai and Ms. Vu Thi Khanh stems from their learning and experience gained from previous generations. The first families to cultivate betel nuts commercially in Phu Hai 1 village were those of Mr. Chu Van Doi and Mr. Le Van Tinh. To this day, these families continue to produce betel nut seedlings, offering a popular variety of betel nuts to consumers. These families have contributed to the spread and expansion of betel nut cultivation in Phu Hai 1, making this crop a key economic driver for the locality.

In Phu Hai 1 village, there are quite a few households earning billions of dong from growing betel nuts. This information comes from the village head, Tran Thi Lua. However, with their modest nature, when asked about their income, many people say that their earnings are nothing compared to those of successful farmers in other places. But they have a special belief and love for betel nut trees; even when the market is sluggish and betel nuts are cheap, the villagers here still don't cut them down; they persistently and diligently care for them because betel nut trees have been closely associated with the material and spiritual lives of the people of Phu Hai 1 village for many years.

The story of wealth creation from betel nut trees in Phu Hai 1 will likely continue with future generations. Phu Hai 1 now boasts a new image of a prosperous rural area with spacious houses nestled amidst lush green betel nut gardens. The betel nut tree is a witness to the changes in Phu Hai 1, and also a crop that brings prosperity and stability to the local people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chuyen-lam-giau-o-lang-cau-phu-hai-1-post403455.html