Share the first sweet fruit of the season with customers

One day in early summer 2024, we visited the model of growing melons in a greenhouse using solar energy-saving irrigation technology in the sand dunes of Tay Hoang village, Quang Thai commune of Mr. Tran Trong's family. This is the first high-tech agricultural model in Quang Thai commune, initially bringing economic efficiency with productivity and quality surpassing conventional production, aiming to gradually change the way of thinking and working of farmers in the commune.

With the support of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the project of developing a model of growing melons in the sand dunes, Quang Thai commune, applying solar energy-saving irrigation technology with a total pre-tax investment value of 5.4 billion VND, Mr. Tran Trong's family started growing melons in high-tech greenhouses. With 2 greenhouse areas, each over 1,050m2, Mr. Tran Trong grows 2,400 melons per crop (Dong Phong melon, Ichiba melon and Kim Hoang Hau melon varieties) and is planted alternately for 60 days. Each plant is grown separately in a bag with treated coconut fiber substrate.

With the support of experts, to ensure the melon plants grow evenly, water and fertilizer are transferred through a modern drip irrigation system using semi-hydroponic technology from Israel to help nutrients be well absorbed, meeting each stage of plant growth. When the melon flowers, pollination must be carried out by bees, when the plant bears fruit, each plant only retains the most beautiful fruit to grow until harvest. To help the plant focus its nutrients on growing the fruit as well as prevent diseases, leaves and branches must be regularly pruned to create ventilation for the garden.

Mr. Tran Trong said: Growing melons is not difficult, but it requires understanding of care techniques and knowing how to prevent and treat diseases according to each stage of plant development. Diseases need to be detected early for timely treatment, each vine only bears one fruit; if well cared for, the fruit quality will be good and can be sold at a good price. The family's greenhouse system for growing melons brings advantages such as helping to block rain and sun, prevent insects from entering, proactively providing nutrition, and controlling temperature and humidity in the garden. To prevent disease and ensure product safety, only organic biological fertilizers should be used to fertilize the melon garden.

Each melon crop lasts from 85 to 90 days; each melon weighs from 1.5 to 2.5 kg when harvested. Melons grown in greenhouses can be grown 3 times a year. Thanks to proper care and a guaranteed greenhouse system, the melons grow and develop quite well, with a harvested melon yield of about 9.6 tons/crop/2,100m2 of greenhouse (2 greenhouses). Currently, the melon product is ready for harvest and is sold for 40 to 45 thousand VND/kg, his family earns more than 364 million VND/crop, if they grow three crops a year, the total revenue will be over 1 billion VND. Although it has just appeared on the market, Mr. Tran Trong's family's melon product is known to many people.

The application of science and technology in production, compliance with the process, strict control from the stage of selecting seeds, planting, caring until the melon is harvested, the model of growing melons in greenhouses, applying drip irrigation technology of Mr. Tran Trong has opened up a promising direction in agricultural production in the locality. This is also an opportunity for farmers to learn from experience, access advanced technology to create clean products, safe for consumers' health.

Mr. Tran Duong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Thai Commune, said: Mr. Tran Trong's melon growing model is considered one of the largest models of the commune so far. This is a high-tech agricultural model, adapting to climate change, helping farmers to be proactive in production, reducing dependence on weather and climate. A successful model will open up new prospects in linking production and product consumption between farmers and businesses, gradually bringing agricultural production of Quang Thai Commune in particular and Quang Dien District in general to new heights.

In the current conditions, the demand for clean products is increasingly being paid attention to by consumers, so the construction of safe agricultural production models, applying high technology to production is being responded to by farmers. The model of growing melons in greenhouses applying high technology, not only brings high economic efficiency but also contributes to changing the thinking, habits, and farming practices of farmers, from traditional agricultural production to clean agricultural production associated with market demand.

Article and photos: THAI BINH