What makes Mỏ Ó watermelons so appealing?

Leaders of Tran De commune visited the organic watermelon fields of the Mo O hamlet's vegetable farming cooperative.

Thanks to the suitable soil conditions, the melons grown here are highly regarded by consumers for their quality: deep red, firm flesh with a distinctive sandy aroma, a refreshing sweetness, and consistently good prices.

To promote sustainable farming, the local people established the Mo O Hamlet Organic Vegetable Farming Cooperative with 21 members and a cultivated area of 18 hectares; the selling price is 20-30% higher than that of conventionally grown melons.
Visiting the watermelon field of Mr. Trieu Van Ut Nho, a member of the Mo O Vegetable Farming Cooperative, which was in the midst of harvest, Mr. Nho confided: “I have been growing watermelons for over 17 years. Since 2019, I switched to growing Mo O watermelons organically, and traders from Ho Chi Minh City come to buy them directly from the field.”

For this watermelon crop, Mr. Nho planted 5,000 square meters (including seeded and seedless watermelons), estimating a harvest of over 15 tons. According to Mr. Nho's calculations, with seeded watermelons selling for 10,000 VND/kg and seedless watermelons for 13,000 VND/kg, after deducting expenses, he expects to earn a profit of over 100 million VND (Mr. Ut Nho does not have any product distribution agreements).

Not far from Mr. Nho's watermelon field is the watermelon field of Mr. Trieu Van Ut, also a member of the Mo O Vegetable Growing Cooperative, which has been selected as a model site for organic watermelon cultivation in partnership with Que Lam Group, which guarantees the purchase of watermelons after harvest for 7 years.

According to Mr. Ut, growing melons organically results in higher quality fruit, ensures the health of himself and consumers, enriches the soil, and significantly reduces investment costs by 10-20% per crop. Furthermore, the melons are guaranteed a market share by Que Lam Group, which purchases them at a price 20-30% higher than the market rate.

Mr. Trieu Van Ut, from Mo O hamlet, stands beside his freshly harvested organic watermelons.

“From 4,500 square meters of traditional watermelon cultivation, with support from Que Lam Group in providing organic fertilizers and guidance on growing watermelons to meet standards and sell them on shelves in high-end stores, I expanded the area to 7,500 square meters. With this area, the estimated harvest is over 22 tons per crop, and after deducting expenses, the profit is over 150 million VND. With 3 crops per year, my estimated profit is over 450 million VND,” Mr. Ut added.

Mr. Vo Quoc Hao, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Tran De commune, said that Mo O watermelons, especially organically grown watermelons, have a high fruit yield, stable weight, beautiful red flesh, high sweetness, and a 70% reduction in pests and diseases thanks to organic microorganisms. The unit recommends that farmers maintain good organic watermelon cultivation practices to reduce investment costs for the season and always ensure the best quality when supplying to the market.

According to Mr. Hao, the local authorities will continue to encourage farmers to join cooperatives to increase the area planted with melons and the yield of harvested fruit of the same quality. This will help attract companies and businesses to establish linkages to guarantee output and stabilize prices for farmers.

Text and photos: THUY LIEU

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dua-hau-mo-o-co-gi-hap-dan-a196589.html