Huu Lung: Pineapple prices are good, farmers are excited

- At this time, pineapple growers in Huu Lung district are in the pineapple harvest season. This year, although the weather is not favorable, because farmers have been proactive in production, pineapples still ensure productivity and quality, not only that, the selling price is higher than last year.

People of Minh Son commune, Huu Lung district weigh pineapples for traders to buy.

Looking at the sweet, ripe pineapples harvested and loaded onto a car to be transported downstream, Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Chua village, Minh Hoa commune, said: In 2023, my family planted over 1 hectare of pineapple. Thanks to the family's active care, the pineapple area has grown well and started to be harvested from the end of February. Since the beginning of the harvest season, my family has harvested over 6 tons of fruit, with traders buying at the garden at prices ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 VND/kg. From now until the remaining pineapples are harvested, the family is expected to harvest over 10 tons. From growing pineapples, my family has an income of nearly 100 million VND/year. Recently, my family expanded to grow nearly 0.5 hectares of pineapples, hoping that the market will continue to be stable so that pineapple growers can feel secure in production.

Not only Mr. Ha's family but also many households in Minh Hoa commune and Minh Son, Nhat Tien communes... also develop pineapple cultivation for high economic efficiency.

Mr. Le Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of Minh Son Commune People's Committee, said: Currently, the whole commune has more than 17 hectares of pineapple with 65 households growing it. Pineapple is grown mainly in the villages of Ca Trong, Ca Ngoai... This year, the output of pineapple grown in the area is estimated at 140 tons. After being harvested, traders come to the garden to buy pineapple. Since the beginning of the season, pineapple has been purchased by traders at a price ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 VND/kg, an increase of 4,000 to 6,000 VND/kg compared to last year.

According to statistics, the entire Huu Lung district currently has 91.08 hectares of pineapple, grown mainly in the communes of Minh Son, Minh Hoa, Nhat Tien... In recent years, pineapple growers in the district have proactively applied technical measures to planting and caring for pineapple, thanks to which pineapple productivity is stable.

Specifically, this year's pineapple crop, pineapple yield is estimated at 83.65 quintals/ha, output is estimated at 700 tons. Along with that, the selling price of pineapple this year increased from 4,000 to 6,000 VND/kg compared to last year, the economic value is estimated at about 8 billion VND.

In order to support people in developing pineapple cultivation, recently, the district's professional department has coordinated with the commune authorities to propagate and mobilize people to convert ineffective farming land to pineapple cultivation. At the same time, it has coordinated to organize training courses, transfer science and technology in planting and caring for fruit trees (including pineapple) to people; at the same time, it has assigned staff to regularly monitor and grasp the production situation of people to promptly advise and support people in the production organization process.

In addition, in order to expand the area, improve productivity, quality and product value, recently, the District People's Committee has directed specialized departments and commune authorities to coordinate in implementing a number of programs and projects to develop pineapple trees in the area. For example, the project "Planting and caring for Queen Pineapple" in Minh Hoa commune was implemented by the Minh Hoa Commune Farmers' Association in 2018, with an area of 15 hectares, 40 households participating; or the topic "Research, application of technical advances, restoration and development of indigenous pineapple varieties in Huu Lung district" was implemented by the Department of Science and Technology in 3 communes of Nhat Tien, Minh Son, Minh Hoa in 2018 with an area of 10 hectares, 10 households participating... As a result, the projects were all successfully implemented, helping households participating in the model know how to apply science and technology to production in a safe direction.

Ms. Duong Thi Hanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Huu Lung district, said: Pineapple is one of the crops that brings significant income to people in the district. However, currently, people's pineapple consumption still depends mainly on traders, so prices are unstable. In the coming time, the People's Committee of the district will continue to direct specialized departments to strengthen coordination with pineapple-growing communes to organize training and guide people to apply science and technology in production. At the same time, actively guide people to produce off-season pineapple to improve economic efficiency. In addition, the district will pay attention to allocating funds to support people to expand the area and produce pineapple in a safe direction. On that basis, the district aims to build the Huu Lung pineapple brand to become a typical agricultural product of the district, better known in the market, contributing to ensuring output and increasing income for pineapple growers.

This year, pineapples are purchased by traders at high prices. From growing pineapples, many households in the district have an income of 80 to 150 million VND/year. Hopefully, with the attention of authorities at all levels and the initiative of people in organizing production, the pineapple crop in the following years will continue to be successful, helping people increase their income, improve their lives and contribute positively to increasing the value of agriculture in Huu Lung district in particular and Lang Son province in general.

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