Searching for sweet fruits in the mountains.

In late March, the sun shines brightly over the custard apple orchards on the rocky mountains of Vo Nhai. Taking advantage of the rare dry days of spring, farmers diligently clear and prune the remaining custard apple trees. Unlike previous years, this year many households have intensively cultivated custard apples in staggered seasons, so the pruning time is later. Even so, the income from the custard apple harvest is still better than last year. Preparing for a promising new custard apple season, everyone is excited because, over the years, the custard apple tree has become a source of wealth for many households here.

Intensive staggered cultivation of custard apples brings higher income to custard apple growers in Vo Nhai.

Intensive farming with staggered planting increases revenue.

In November 2021, the model of staggered-harvest cultivation of custard apples began to be implemented by the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center in La Hien and Phu Thuong communes (Vo Nhai district) and was very positively received by the people. Ms. Dam Phuong Thao, from Mo Ga hamlet, shared: "If we maintain the old intensive farming methods, we will never achieve a breakthrough. Therefore, having the opportunity to participate in such a promising model, custard apple growers here are very excited."

With the support of agricultural extension officers, after 3 years of implementation (until November 2024, the model concludes), the 3 hectares of custard apple trees belonging to 8 participating households have achieved very positive results. By correctly implementing technical measures in care, pruning, artificial pollination, and fruit direction within the tree trunk, the households have achieved the set goals by harvesting multiple crops per year. Specifically, the early-ripening crop in July (25-30% of the yield); the main-ripening crop in August and September (55-65% of the yield); and the late-ripening crop in October and November (10-15% of the yield).

When implementing the staggered-harvest intensive cultivation model for custard apples, the application of synchronized technical measures has increased soil fertility, helping custard apple trees grow well, thereby increasing yield and quality, extending the harvesting period and increasing the lifespan of the trees... Accordingly, the model has provided higher quality custard apples than conventional production, extended the harvesting period from July to November, and increased the product value by 10% or more.

With larger, more uniformly sized, attractively shaped, fragrant, and intensely sweet fruits, the selling price of custard apples in early and late seasons is at least 5,000-10,000 VND/kg higher than in the main season. In 2024 alone, each hectare of staggered-season custard apple cultivation yielded over 460 million VND, after deducting material costs; the profit was nearly 328 million VND, 123 million VND higher than conventional production and 31 million VND higher than in 2023.

The bountiful harvests of fruits in Vo Nhai have become widely known through online sales on social media platforms.

Notably, from the initial eight households, staggered-season custard apple cultivation has now been widely adopted throughout the district. Learning from those who came before, the farmers have proactively implemented staggered-season custard apple cultivation according to proper procedures, ensuring both healthy plant growth and development, and higher economic value than before.

Mr. Nguyen Ta, Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said: "Custard apple growers have changed their mindset, applying science and technology to production to achieve higher economic efficiency. This is an inevitable trend for Thai Nguyen to move towards sustainable agriculture , increasing productivity and the value of agricultural products in general and custard apples in particular."

Welcome the new harvest!

There are only about four months left until the first harvest of custard apples this year. Custard apple growers in Vo Nhai are focusing on post-pruning care and maintenance. Ms. Dinh Thi Phan, from Truc Mai hamlet, Lau Thuong commune (Vo Nhai), said: "After harvesting, custard apple trees are usually very weak due to the loss of many nutrients during the fruit-bearing process. To help the trees recover, we prune and shape the trees. Then we clean up the orchard to ensure good ventilation and limit the growth of fungal diseases."

The work of pruning, trimming, and clearing the custard apple orchard is quite arduous, but the hardworking farmers continue to toil diligently every day. For them, the greatest joy is that after just a few days of pruning, if the weather is favorable, tender green shoots begin to sprout from the branches. It is expected that in the next few weeks, the trees will turn green and begin to bloom.

Currently, the model of staggered cultivation of custard apples has been widely adopted throughout the province.

When the flowers bloom, farmers embark on a new journey of care. Before the advent of science and technology, pollination occurred naturally, resulting in unevenly sized custard apples and low yields. However, for over 10 years now, households have proactively pollinated their custard apple trees. As a result, each orchard produces large, round, and uniformly sized fruits. Through diligent work, the custard apple trees bear fruit, grow quickly, and usually yield their first harvest in late July or early August (areas cultivated intensively with staggered planting will produce fruit about 2 to 3 weeks earlier).

Ms. Dam Phuong Thao: The harvesting process is quite arduous, especially for custard apple orchards high in the mountains. To reduce labor, many households in La Hien, Lau Thuong, Phu Thuong… have pooled money to make pulleys to bring baskets full of ripe, round custard apples down from the mountains in a flash. Afterwards, the custard apples are loaded onto motorbikes and cars and distributed to various places to meet consumer demand.

According to elderly people, custard apple trees have been grown on the rocky mountains of Vo Nhai for easily 60 years. Over the years, custard apple trees have increasingly established themselves as the main crop of this mountainous district. To date, the district has nearly 700 hectares of custard apple trees, of which 200 hectares are certified for production according to VietGAP standards.

Stretching from La Hien to Lau Thuong, Dinh Ca town, up to Phu Thuong, circling into Trang Xa through Dan Tien to Phuong Giao… everywhere you look, you see custard apple orchards awakening after days of winter “sleep.” Thus, a new season of intensive custard apple cultivation has begun. To have such sweet harvests and bring in substantial income for farmers, they have to endure very hard work. Even so, the people of the highlands are happy as year after year, custard apple trees bring increasingly higher economic value. For the past three years, the yield has reached approximately 6,000 tons per year, with an average selling price of 15,000 to 25,000 VND/kg; many varieties can be sold on the market for 40,000-50,000 VND/kg…

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202503/di-tim-qua-ngot-tren-nui-dec3882/