Mr. Truong Van A Rin tends to his guava orchard of over 3.2 hectares. Photo: MY LINH
Born into a family of three generations of gardeners in the Mekong Delta, Rin was no stranger to fruit trees. However, when he ventured out to start his own business, he chose to work as a granite craftsman in Da Nang City. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, his life was turned upside down, and he brought his wife and children back to his wife's hometown in Que An commune (now Que Son commune) to begin a new entrepreneurial journey.
He recounted that when he visited his wife's hometown, he often passed by the cassava processing plant and saw the villagers working hard but still struggling to make ends meet. "At that time, I wanted to do something different to have a better life. Seeing that the soil here was suitable for fruit trees, I decided to continue my family's fruit farming business," Rin said.
In 2021, he leased 5,000m² of land in the former Que An commune, planting three orchards of coconut, plum, and pomelo trees. To date, the guava and plum orchards have been harvested. The plum orchard alone has yielded two harvests with a productivity of 1 ton per harvest, selling at approximately 25,000 VND/kg.
A guava orchard spanning over 3.2 hectares is yielding 200kg of pear-shaped guavas daily. Photo: MY LINH
Recognizing the potential of fruit trees in this area, in 2023, the couple continued to lease more than 32,000 square meters in Dong Phu town (now Que Son commune), and together with local farmers, established a cooperative.
Rin explained that the leased area was a hillside that had previously been planted with acacia trees, so the nutrients were depleted. "The soil was compacted and lacked any beneficial microorganisms. I had to dig up rocks, level the ground, and spend several months improving it by cultivating microorganisms in the soil, using organic fertilizer, and restoring the entire subsurface ecosystem before planting trees," Rin shared.
VIDEO - The guava orchard of Mr. Truong Van A Rin, laden with fruit:
Rin invested in intensive cultivation of guava and plum trees – two crops suitable for the climate of Central Vietnam, easy to manage during extreme weather conditions, and with no worries about sales.
"
“If durian trees are planted here, a storm will wipe out everything. Guava and plum trees, however, survive even if branches break, and if the trees die, they can be replanted and bear fruit in a few months. Planting trees is like ‘gambling,’ but I don’t take reckless risks. I ‘gamble’ with two things: ‘confidence’ and ‘belief.’ That’s confidence in my skills and experience, and faith that the market will favor my products. I rely on these two words, ‘belief,’ to pursue agriculture .”
Mr. Truong Van A Rin
The nearly two-year-old plum orchard is thriving, and Rin anticipates the trees will bear fruit next year. Photo: MY LINH
At the beginning of 2024, he planted 1,200 guava trees and 350 plum trees. To date, the plums and guavas are thriving. After nine months, the guavas yielded their first harvest, and he currently sells about 200 kg to the market daily. Regarding the plum orchard, he said that next year he will implement technical interventions to ensure the trees bear fruit according to actual demand.
Rin not only invested in crops but also invested systematically in technology. The entire orchard is equipped with an automatic irrigation system using Israeli technology, watering each plant individually, allowing for fertilizer mixing and watering by the hour, reducing labor while saving costs.
With the guava trees, he prunes them regularly, keeping them low for easy harvesting and protection against wind and storms. For the plum orchard, he plans to cover the trees with three layers of netting, dividing the area so that he can harvest them in rotation throughout the year.
Rin's large, fruit-laden guava orchard is a popular destination for tourists to visit and enjoy. Photo: MY LINH
To date, Rin and his wife have invested nearly 2 billion VND in their agricultural model, a considerable sum for rural entrepreneurs. He affirmed: "Everything involves risk; the important thing is to dare to do it with a specific plan and clear calculations."
Rin's products are now sold through a network of collaborators, reducing his reliance on traditional markets. Rin believes that competing on price in markets is difficult, and it's hard to distinguish between clean, good, and bad quality goods. He wants to sell at a reasonable price, but the products must be of high quality.
Currently, due to the large quantity of guavas, they couldn't harvest them all in time, resulting in many overripe fruits. To avoid wasting them, he chose to slice and dry them, then mix them with salt and chili to create a unique and delicious snack. He and his wife are aiming to develop the product into a chain, build their own brand, and register for the OCOP program to solidify their position in the market.
Not stopping there, he also envisions a model of agriculture combined with ecotourism, where visitors can experience sightseeing, picking fruit, and enjoying local specialties on the spot. He hopes the local authorities will provide support mechanisms to realize the project, contributing to the development of agricultural economy linked with community tourism.
Rin's guava orchard provides employment for local workers. Photo: MY LINH
His economic model is not only highly effective but also creates jobs for local people through tasks such as weeding, pruning, wrapping guavas, and harvesting.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/hai-qua-ngot-บน-dat-doi-can-kho-3297936.html
Comment (0)