A new direction for modern and sustainable agriculture.

Amidst the difficulties faced by many traditional crops due to uncertain markets and unstable prices, the high-tech cantaloupe farming model in Ia Phi commune, Gia Lai province, has become a promising bright spot, making a significant contribution to the transformation of crop structure and bringing sustainable income to the people.

From just a few initial experimental plots, high-tech cantaloupe cultivation has now been applied to dozens of hectares, opening up new prospects for modern agriculture in the locality.

In 2020, a high-tech cantaloupe cultivation model began to be piloted in Ia Phi commune. The results showed that cantaloupe plants have outstanding advantages: they grow well, are less susceptible to pests and diseases, are easy to control, and are less vulnerable to risks from unusual weather conditions thanks to the application of a modern drip irrigation system and cultivation in a closed greenhouse environment. The cultivation time is short, only 70-75 days, with an average yield of about 2-3 tons per sao (approximately 1000 square meters). Combined with a stable selling price of over 20,000 VND/kg, sometimes reaching 40,000 VND/kg, this has resulted in a profit of 30-50 million VND per sao per crop.

Thanks to its superior economic efficiency compared to many traditional crops, people have boldly invested and expanded the planting area, making cantaloupe a promising crop in the locality. After nearly 5 years of implementation, the entire Ia Phi commune now has nearly 300 greenhouses, with a total area of about 15 hectares, mainly concentrated in villages with strong agricultural production potential.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thu from Hamlet 6, Ia Phi Commune, shared: “Compared to growing cassava or betel nut, growing cantaloupe yields much higher income. Each crop takes just over two months, but the profit can be 5-6 times higher. In the greenhouse, we can control pests and diseases, save water, and require less labor while achieving high efficiency.” Many households have shifted from small-scale production to investing in greenhouse systems and applying advanced techniques to improve product quality. Especially in the context of climate change significantly affecting the productivity of many crops, the development of cantaloupe farming models not only helps stabilize people's livelihoods but also contributes to sustainable agricultural development.

One of the notable aspects of the cantaloupe farming model in Ia Phi is the rapid market acceptance. Businesses and traders have proactively come directly to the farms to place orders under long-term contracts. Currently, the entire cantaloupe production of the commune mainly serves domestic consumption, especially in large cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi. However, the current supply is still limited and cannot fully meet the increasing market demand.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Huong, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Huong Cao Nguyen Agricultural Production and Service Joint Stock Company in Dak Lak province, shared her thoughts after visiting the model farm: “I found the appearance and quality of the cantaloupe in Ia Phi to be quite good; the skin is beautiful, the flesh is crispy and sweet, and the weight is consistent. We want to sign a purchase contract with the households here, but to increase the scale, we need the involvement of the government to connect the people into a cooperative or a clearer chain linkage model.”

Besides the potential for fresh consumption, cantaloupe from Ia Phi can also be expanded into deep processing such as juice, jam, and dried melon – a trend that is gaining popularity in export markets. However, the transition from raw production to processed products remains a "bottleneck" due to a lack of capital, technology, and links with capable processing units.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Ia Phi Commune, Nguyen Cong Son, said: “The commune is actively encouraging people to expand the area for growing cantaloupe according to VietGAP standards, while connecting with businesses to ensure long-term output. We also hope that higher authorities will continue to support us in terms of mechanisms, technology, and call for investment in building post-harvest processing facilities so that cantaloupe products can reach further in the future.”

Price stability, high economic efficiency, and the increasing consumer trend for clean and safe agricultural products are major driving forces behind Ia Phi's gradual transformation into a key high-tech melon farming area in Gia Lai province.

PHUONG THAO

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/huong-di-moi-cho-nong-nghiep-hien-dai-va-ben-vung-409711.html