Mr. Dinh Van Vi's family currently owns 3 hectares of the specialty yellow banana variety.
"Gifts" from the mountains and forests
At sixty years old, with graying hair, Mr. Dinh Van Vi in Nua Ha area remains strong and agile, no less so than a young man. Born at the foot of Mount Chen, he learned to run and jump as he followed his parents across the forests and streams in the surrounding area. The arduous life of a farmer in the mountainous region has forged in him a resilient and diligent physique, accustomed to heavy manual labor for decades. His children have grown up and their lives are no longer so difficult and impoverished, but he and his wife still go to their farm, about 4 kilometers from their house, from early morning until dusk to care for the trees and livestock. He has divided the more than 6 hectares of forest land inherited from his ancestors into separate areas: the higher areas are used for planting acacia and pine trees; the lower areas are used for growing Dien pomelo and green-skinned pomelo, combined with raising buffalo, chickens, and ducks... Notably, his farm currently has about 3 hectares of the specialty yellow banana variety, which is currently being harvested, providing a stable income for the family. According to him: This banana variety has been present since the Muong people came here to clear land and establish villages. Unlike the common bananas in the lowlands and the wild bananas in the mountains, the yellow-flowered banana produces large, curved fruits when harvested; ripe bananas have thin skins, a beautiful bright yellow color, firm flesh, a sweet taste, and a distinctive aroma. Yellow-flowered bananas grow naturally in areas along streams; the mother plant produces bunches and then dies, while the young plants push through the soil, forming clumps and forests. To supplement their food supply and provide by-products for livestock, many households have brought bananas home to plant around their houses. They don't need much care; the plants grow quickly, their trunks are sturdy, their leaves are lush green, and the mother plants produce young plants, forming thick clumps and regularly producing bunches. When a clump dies, they go into the forest to find another suitable clump. Then, over time, the naturally growing banana patches gradually disappeared, leaving only the banana variety that people planted around their houses, self-propagating and maintaining it year after year. Strangely enough, due to some unusual soil condition, only the area around Mount Chẹn thrives, producing large bunches of big, flavorful bananas that are far superior to those grown in other regions. Therefore, to this day, the yellow-flowered banana has only taken root and remained a staple for households in this area. Easy to plant and care for, with a renowned delicious fruit quality, traders come to buy it as soon as it's harvested. Although the selling price isn't high, the yellow-flowered banana has truly brought prosperity to Mr. Đinh Văn Vị's family and hundreds of other banana growers in the surrounding area...
Elevating the status of Muong ethnic products.
The yellow-flowered banana is introduced and promoted at stalls, trade fairs, and traditional festivals.
From a humble gift from the people of the mountainous region, in recent years, the yellow-flowered banana has regularly appeared in trade fairs and traditional stalls at festivals in the area. Consumers in many localities have begun to take notice of and appreciate this unique product. This also means that the market is expanding, and the value and economic efficiency of the banana plant are increasing. Each year, a mother banana plant produces 2-3 suckers and a bunch, depending on the plant, with about 6-8 hands of bananas. With a market price of 10,000 VND/hand of banana at the source, a mother banana plant can yield about 200,000 VND from the fruit; if sold during the traditional Lunar New Year, the price can increase 2-3 times. Along with the fruit, almost every part of the yellow-flowered banana plant can be utilized, bringing in a significant income. After the banana plant has produced enough bunches of fruit, the flowers are harvested and sold for cooking at an average price of 8,000-10,000 VND each. Banana leaves are also cut and sold to businesses that make sausages, fermented pork rolls, and wrap cakes, etc., at a price of 50,000 VND per 10 kg. The stems, after harvesting the bunches, are used as feed for livestock and poultry. Therefore, each hectare of banana plants can yield nearly one hundred million VND in revenue after one year.
The yellow-flowered banana is introduced and promoted at stalls, trade fairs, and traditional festivals.
Recognizing the outstanding potential of the yellow-flowered banana variety in poverty reduction and socio-economic development in the ethnic minority areas, for over a decade, the authorities of Tan Minh and Tan Lap communes, Thanh Son district (at that time), implemented many specific and practical activities to encourage people to expand the area and increase the economic value and efficiency of this specialty banana variety. In 2007, the project "Expanding the area of yellow-flowered banana cultivation in Tan Minh commune" was implemented, attracting 120 households to participate with 40 hectares of banana plantations. The Thanh Son Yellow-Flowered Banana Cooperative was established, initially demonstrating positive effects in strengthening production and business capabilities, accessing science and technology, and expanding the consumer market. To date, in Van Mieu commune (formed by the merger of three communes: Tan Minh, Tan Lap, and Van Mieu), there are more than 60 hectares of yellow-flowered bananas, achieving a production of over 1,000 tons per year. The area planted with bananas has not increased significantly, partly because only the area around Mount Chẹn has suitable soil conditions to ensure the highest product quality, and partly because the market is not yet truly stable. Furthermore, a "strange disease" that recently appeared has caused significant damage to the yield and quality of yellow bananas. According to banana growers, for about a decade now, some healthy banana trees have suddenly turned yellow and withered. The disease spreads rapidly, and in a short time, entire groves of bananas gradually die off. Many folk remedies have been tried, but none have been effective. The authorities sought assistance from the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture . Experts researched the disease and identified it as banana yellow leaf disease (Panama disease), providing guidance on prevention and treatment. After some time, the disease decreased in scale but persists as a persistent threat and challenge for banana growers in Văn Miếu. Recently, a group of experts and researchers visited Mr. Dinh Van Vi's farm to investigate and test a specific treatment for the yellow leaf disease affecting his specialty banana trees...
Elevating the Muong people's product, making the Thanh Son yellow banana a truly valuable agricultural product with high economic efficiency, and bringing prosperity to the people, has been identified by the Van Mieu commune government as one of its key tasks. Mr. Dinh Tien Thanh, Head of the Economic Department of Van Mieu commune, affirmed: “Along with continuing to implement the project supporting yellow banana growers with seeds, fertilizers, and cultivation techniques, the commune is strengthening promotional activities and product introductions at trade fairs and cultural events to attract a large number of tourists. Initially, the commune will build a dossier to request OCOP product recognition for the Thanh Son yellow banana, and guide cooperatives in the process of affixing traceability labels… Once the Thanh Son yellow banana brand is established and affirmed, the market will certainly expand, and the value of the banana will increase…”. And so, the “green gold treasure” that nature has bestowed upon the people of Van Mieu is still waiting for the government and people here to exploit and enhance its value.
Vu Thanh
Source: https://baophutho.vn/kho-vang-xanh-ben-nui-chen-237098.htm
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