About 2 km from the center of Phu Nhuan commune, Phu Hai 1 village has 140 households who are natives and from Hai Phong and Nam Dinh who came to build a new economic zone. The name Phu Hai means a rich sea area, perhaps based on the wishes of the local households, hoping to build this land to develop and become rich. Up to now, that hope has gradually come true when the areca tree - one of the main crops here is affirming its sustainable economic value.
Arriving in Phu Hai 1 village, many people are amazed by the peaceful scenery with rows of straight, fruit-laden areca trees. Nearly half of the households in Phu Hai grow areca trees, they take advantage of fences, pond banks, home gardens and roadsides to grow areca trees. Notably, the villagers only grow the areca variety (elongated areca fruit) because of its high economic value.
Vu Thi Khanh's family has been growing areca for 7 years. In her garden, there are currently more than 1,000 areca trees, of which 700 are being harvested. She continues to grow more seeds in the garden next to her house. Sitting next to a stone table under a row of green areca trees, Khanh said that the process of growing areca trees was due to being "scolded" too much by her in-laws. When she became a daughter-in-law, she saw the surrounding households growing areca trees, but Khanh and her husband wanted to develop the economy in a different direction. In her garden, she grew vegetables, but after a while, there was no stable output, and the family's economy was still difficult. At this time, Khanh's in-laws directed the couple to grow areca trees because, according to them, areca trees are easy to grow, easy to care for, and have a stable output.
“My parents were impatient when they saw that my husband and I did not change our farming direction, and even scolded us for not knowing how to do business. After being told so much, my husband and I had to “click our tongues” and listen, and then we have the areca garden we have today,” Khanh recalled.
Ms. Khanh's areca garden yields 24 tons of fresh fruit each year, with an average selling price of 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg, total income of about 400 - 500 million VND.
Not far away is the areca garden of Mr. Pham Minh Khai's family with more than 400 areca trees, most of which are about 20 years old, the rest are 7-8 years old. Mr. Pham Minh Khai shared that the areca tree is the "friend" that helps his family as well as other households in the village have a stable income. This is a tree that is suitable for the climate and soil of Vietnam, and has been associated with Vietnamese families for generations, so it does not need much care, the tree just grows up to produce bunches of fruit. From the areca garden, each year, Mr. Khai's family earns more than 100 million VND. For the elderly, this is a stable income, and the grandparents also save to help their children in the family financially.
The family of Mr. Pham Minh Khai or Ms. Vu Thi Khanh has achieved success from growing areca nuts because they learned and gained experience from previous households. The first household to grow areca nuts commercially in Phu Hai 1 village was the family of Mr. Chu Van Doi and Le Van Tinh. Up to now, these households also produce areca nuts to bring to the market the Vietnamese areca variety that is favored by consumers. These households have contributed to spreading and expanding the area of areca nuts in Phu Hai 1, making this crop a strength for economic development in the locality.
In Phu Hai 1, there are many households earning billions from growing areca. This was informed by Village Chief Tran Thi Lua. However, with a modest nature, when asked about their income, many people said that their income was nothing compared to that of good farmers in many other places. But they have faith and a special love for areca trees. Even when the market is gloomy and areca prices are low, the households here still do not cut them down; they are persistent and take care of them because the areca trees have been associated with the material and spiritual life of the people of Phu Hai 1 village for many years.
The story of getting rich from areca trees in Phu Hai 1 will probably continue with future generations here. Phu Hai 1 now wears a new coat of a prosperous countryside with spacious houses amidst green areca gardens. Areca trees are a witness to the changes in Phu Hai 1's homeland, and at the same time are the crops that bring prosperity and stability to the people here.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chuyen-lam-giau-o-lang-cau-phu-hai-1-post403455.html
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