Unique Luc Truc bamboo shoots

For centuries, bamboo shoots from various types of bamboo have been a very familiar food for families. They are prepared in many different ways: stir-fried, in soups, salads, pickled, dried, and many other dishes. However, unlike traditional bamboo shoots which retain a certain bitterness and numbness when fresh, Luc Truc bamboo shoots are very special; they can be eaten raw without processing and still retain their rare sweet and delicious flavor.

Mr. Phong is harvesting bamboo shoots from his family's bamboo garden.

Bamboo shoots are of the highest quality when harvested while still in the soil.

Visiting the bamboo shoot garden of Mr. Bui Bich Phong in Zone 5, Vo Tranh commune (formerly), Van Lang commune (newly), he shared: "As someone who has worked in agriculture since childhood, I have been exposed to many different types of crops. Previously, my family mainly planted acacia trees, but the yield and economic efficiency were not high. Especially in the last few years, I have noticed that acacia trees are very easily broken during storms, frequently get sick, and die in large numbers for no apparent reason."

Often, plants die after 2-3 years, resulting in no harvest, wasted effort in caring for them, and wasted land... With the desire to plant a new species with higher economic value, after researching from various sources, I decided to buy Luc Truc bamboo to plant at home.

The bamboo shoots of Luc Truc after harvesting.

Having started planting Luc Truc bamboo in early 2024, Phong's family now has 1,000 clumps, all of which are ready to produce shoots. According to Phong, growing Luc Truc bamboo doesn't require advanced techniques because the plant is hardy and resistant to pests, diseases, and adverse weather conditions. However, for the plants to grow and develop well, it's essential to select high-quality seedlings. After that, it's crucial to master the planting and care process and choose suitable soil that isn't prone to waterlogging.

To create loose soil for bamboo shoots to grow, growers must water regularly and cover the base of the plants with sawdust, rice husks, or well-rotted chicken manure 1-2 times a year. The plants can be harvested after one year of planting. In the first harvest, a clump of Luc Truc bamboo can yield 7-8 kg of shoots, and in the second year, it can yield 20-25 kg per clump. Bamboo shoots can be harvested for 6 months (from March to September annually).

Luc Truc bamboo shoots are elongated like a cow's horn, and the highest quality shoots are harvested while still in the soil. They have a bright yellow outer layer and a pure white core, and are rich in starch, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are very beneficial to health. Luc Truc bamboo shoots are completely clean and have a fragrant, crispy, delicious, and slightly sweet taste. They can be prepared in many ways, such as in salads, boiled, stir-fried, pickled with chili, or dried. With its distinctive flavor, Luc Truc bamboo shoots have won over a wide range of customers.

Besides selling fresh bamboo shoots, Mr. Phong also grafts cuttings and sells seedlings.

With 1,000 clumps of Luc Truc bamboo, from March to August this year, Mr. Phong's family harvested about 3 tons of bamboo shoots, and expects to reach 5-7 tons for the whole year. The average selling price is about 60-70 thousand VND per kilogram of fresh bamboo shoots. In addition, Mr. Phong also propagates and grafts bamboo, with each seedling costing about 80 thousand VND.

Since the beginning of the year, he has sold approximately 10,000 bamboo shoots. Besides traditional markets, he also sells on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook fan pages. On average, Phong's family earns 400-500 million VND annually from selling bamboo shoots and seedlings of the Lục Trúc bamboo species.

Mr. Phong and his daughter regularly film videos of their daily lives, building a TikTok channel called "Uncle Phong of the Ancestral Land" with 42,000 followers to showcase agricultural products from their family and local area.

In the future, in addition to selling fresh bamboo shoots, Mr. Phong plans to process chili bamboo shoots to participate in the OCOP (One Commune One Product) product evaluation competition. He always believes that, as a farmer deeply connected to plants and gardens, he will strive to cultivate and develop clean agricultural products, both to increase farmers' income and to provide consumers with quality products at reasonable prices.

Hopefully, thanks to the advantages of the Luc Truc bamboo shoot variety and Mr. Phong's dedication to farming, more people will learn about this plant in the future, and farmers will have a new crop that they can cultivate long-term and that brings high economic efficiency.

Vinh Ha

Source: https://baophutho.vn/doc-dao-mang-luc-truc-238276.htm