'Transforming' pineapple leaves, providing additional income for farmers in the Mekong Delta.

From the pineapple fiber production model, seemingly worthless pineapple leaf sheaths have become raw materials for the textile industry, helping farmers in the Mekong Delta increase their income and avoid the effort and expense of destroying their pineapple plantations after each harvest.

In the vast pineapple fields of Hoa Luu commune, Can Tho city (formerly Vi Thanh city, Hau Giang province), the leaves that were once cut and burned after each harvest have now been "transformed" by farmers into a green raw material for the textile industry.

Mr. Pham Van Nuong, manager of Can Tho Farm Production, Trade and Service Cooperative (Can Tho Farm Cooperative), said that for many years, whenever farmers had to clear old pineapple plantations, they had to spend nearly 1 million VND per hectare on cutting, clearing, and transporting the plants, and even had to use chemicals to treat the roots. Besides the high costs, burning or dumping pineapple leaves into canals and ditches also causes soil and water pollution, affecting the living environment and people's health.

After harvesting, the pineapple leaves are used to produce pineapple fiber, which serves as a raw material for the textile industry.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

"Up until now, clearing pineapple plantations has been extremely difficult, costly, and environmentally damaging. When I learned that the textile industry needs natural fibers from pineapple leaves, I thought, why not utilize this byproduct to create something new?" Mr. Nuong shared.

The idea evokes the traditional methods of our grandparents' generation, before modern machinery existed, when people would soak pineapple leaves in ditches and scoop out the fibers to mend clothes. Today, with the help of technology, the fiber separation process is faster, cleaner, and more efficient.

Workers feed pineapple leaves into a machine that spins them into fibers.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

To produce high-quality pineapple fiber for the textile industry, the cooperative pays special attention to the raw material selection process. The pineapple leaves must be mature and at least 45cm long. After being collected from the gardens, the leaves are brought to the factory and processed through several stages: pressing, spinning, removing any attached parts, rinsing, washing, centrifugal drying, and then packaging and transferring them to the weaving unit for further finishing.

"To get good quality fiber, you have to start with quality leaves. With long and beautiful leaves, each clump of vine can yield more than 1 kg of leaves. On average, one harvest can yield 1.5 to 2 tons of leaves," Mr. Nuong said.

Fresh pineapple strands when freshly made

PHOTO: DUY TAN

In particular, the Cau Duc pineapple – a traditional local variety – yields significantly higher fiber quality than many other varieties. The MD2 pineapple has longer leaves but produces less fiber compared to the long-established Cau Duc pineapple grown in Hoa Luu.

Can Tho Farm Cooperative organizes the purchase of pineapple leaves directly from the farms. Farm owners can either cut, bundle, and sell the leaves themselves or collaborate with local labor to do so. As a result, instead of spending money destroying their farms, farmers not only save costs but also generate additional income.

The pineapple is shredded and then dried.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

According to Mr. Nuong, the price of pineapple fiber currently ranges from 160,000 to 170,000 VND/kg. Approximately 60 kg of leaves are needed to produce 1 kg of raw pineapple fiber. Although production costs are still high, the model shows great potential as the demand for natural, environmentally friendly fibers in the textile industry is increasing.

Not only does the model benefit pineapple growers, but it also creates a stable job chain for local laborers. Currently, the cooperative's production workshop employs nearly 10 workers on a regular basis. "If the supply of leaves is stable, each person earns about 7.5 million VND/month. Seasonal workers working in the sun are paid from 220,000 to 300,000 VND/day, depending on the job. For cutting and bundling pineapple leaves alone, each person can process an average of about 300 kg/day, earning around 300,000 VND," Mr. Nuong said.

Mr. Nuong inspects the pineapple fibers that are being dried in the greenhouse.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai, a worker at the factory, said that pineapple fiber is strong and durable, suitable for many types of textile products. "The older the leaf, the more fiber is obtained. Pineapple fiber used in industrial weaving can be used to make clothes, bags, coarse fabrics, etc., and is very popular in the market."

Notably, the residue left after fiber extraction is not discarded but is utilized for microbial fermentation and earthworm farming. The earthworms are used as feed for fish and eels; the earthworm castings are then used to fertilize crops, creating a closed-loop cycle that is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

The seemingly worthless pineapple leaf sheaths have been transformed, becoming a raw material for the textile industry.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Hoa Luu commune currently has over 2,000 hectares of pineapple plantations, a crop that has long been closely linked to the livelihoods of the local people. Mr. Vo Tu Phuong, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoa Luu commune, said that the model of producing fiber from pineapple leaves has brought many clear benefits. Previously, after harvesting, pineapple leaves were often discarded, causing costs for clearing the land and affecting the environment. Recently, the locality has collaborated with units researching solutions for processing by-products, and has called on Can Tho Farm Cooperative to purchase pineapple leaves for processing into fiber for the textile industry.

Currently, the cooperative buys pineapple leaves at a stable price of 1,000 VND/kg, with a consumption capacity of about 2.2 - 2.5 tons/day, contributing to solving a large amount of by-products in the locality. "This model not only helps reduce environmental pollution and production costs but also increases farmers' income, aiming towards green, sustainable agriculture and adaptation to climate change," Mr. Phuong emphasized.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-doi-cho-la-khom-nong-dan-mien-tay-co-them-thu-nhap-185260311092547919.htm