Previously, the people of Cai Kinh commune relied solely on the main custard apple harvest in the summer. However, thanks to the application of VietGAP-standard techniques and growth regulation, many households have successfully cultivated custard apple trees to flower and bear fruit out of season, from October to December. This advantage has made off-season custard apples a highly valuable product, bringing higher income to growers. Currently, the average selling price of off-season custard apples (at the farm) ranges from 35,000 to 40,000 VND/kg, with an average yield of nearly 9 tons/ha. With an area of 205 hectares, the revenue reaches nearly 66 billion VND, 20-30% higher than the main season custard apple harvest.
The family of Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoan in Bai Danh village is one of the pioneering households in this production method. With nearly 1,000 custard apple trees, after the main harvest, his family pruned, fertilized, and carefully cared for the trees to produce off-season fruit. Mr. Hoan shared: "To get off-season custard apples that ripen at the right time and meet standards, I regularly participate in technical training classes organized by the commune and learn from the experience of those who have done it before. Off-season custard apples are of very good quality. This year, the family expects to harvest about 8 tons of custard apples, with an estimated revenue of nearly 300 million VND."
Similarly, Ms. Do Thi Sao from Ba Nang village said: "My family has been growing off-season custard apples for almost 10 years now. All of our custard apple trees are planted and cared for according to VietGAP standards, so the fruit is fragrant and delicious. Traders often place orders for the entire orchard in advance, so the market is very stable. From the 800 custard apple trees we currently have, my family harvests about 7 tons of fruit at the end of the season, and with current prices, this brings us an income of over 200 million VND."
Ms. Pham Thi Hien, a trader in Bac Ninh province, said: "I have been buying custard apples in Cai Kinh commune for a long time. At this time, each of my truckloads is about 4-5 tons. Once I get them here, I sort and pack them for sale in provinces and cities like Hanoi , Nghe An, and several other provinces and cities. For many years, the purchase price has been very stable, and the supply is insufficient to meet the large market demand."
The above figures show that off-season custard apple cultivation is increasingly making a significant contribution to increasing income and creating stable livelihoods for many households in Cai Kinh commune.
Ms. Nong Thi Huyen Trang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cai Kinh commune, said: Currently, the commune has nearly 830 hectares of custard apple orchards, including 205 hectares of off-season custard apples. To enhance the value of off-season custard apples and increase people's income, the commune annually organizes 1-2 training courses on transferring scientific and technical knowledge on custard apple cultivation to the people, and organizes dozens of working groups to other localities to learn from their experiences in economic development... In the future, the commune will continue to coordinate with all levels and sectors to guide people in expanding the area of custard apple cultivation according to VietGAP standards, while also aiming to improve the quality of custard apples, and moving towards linking consumption with businesses and cooperatives to reduce dependence on traders and increase the value of the product.
Currently, Cai Kinh is known to be one of the communes with the largest area of custard apple cultivation, both in the main season and off-season, compared to surrounding communes (formerly part of Huu Lung district). The success of the off-season custard apple model shows that the restructuring of crop patterns in Cai Kinh commune is on the right track in reducing the area of inefficient crops, increasing the area of high-value fruit trees, and applying science and technology to master the cropping season, creating differentiated products, and helping people get rich on their own land.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/nong-dan-cai-kinh-lam-giau-tu-na-trai-vu-5070495.html
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