Typically, plum trees begin to flower before the Lunar New Year and are harvested in May and June. However, concentrated harvesting in a short period often leads to price drops, putting significant pressure on consumption and causing considerable concern for farmers. Under the guidance of specialized agencies, many orchard owners in the communes and wards of Moc Chau plateau have applied techniques to regulate fruiting time, intervening in the tree's growth process through methods such as pruning to improve ventilation, girdling branches, and girdling bark to inhibit growth, combined with a rational irrigation and organic/microbial fertilization regime. As a result, plums can be harvested from March to August.
Leading us on a tour of his nearly 2-hectare plum orchard, filled with trees bearing both flowers and ripe fruit, Mr. Dang Van Lap, from Co Do residential area, Thao Nguyen ward, shared: "Previously, my family let the trees grow naturally, resulting in many small fruits, selling for only 10,000-15,000 VND/kg during the main season. For about four years now, we've applied early ripening techniques. After the harvest, we clear the orchard and prune the branches. In August and September, we girdle the bark to encourage flower bud differentiation. This process requires precise techniques, fertilizing, and spraying biological pesticides at the right time to nourish the flowers and ensure fruit setting, even in the harsh winter frost. Thanks to this, we now have late-season plums to sell, with prices at the orchard ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 VND/kg, 3-4 times higher than during the main season." This year, the family's plum orchard is expected to yield approximately 20 tons of plums from March to July.
These days, the family of Ms. Tran Thi Huong, from Cho Long residential area, Thao Nguyen ward, is also busy harvesting off-season plums to sell to traders. Ms. Huong said: Her family currently has more than 2 hectares of plum trees, of which 80% are cultivated for off-season fruiting. Care requires focusing on providing organic nutrients, pest and disease control, and adjusting the fertilization regime to encourage early fruiting. Thanks to adhering to clean agricultural production processes and VietGAP standards, the family's early plums are of good quality and safe. Traders from provinces in the lowlands come to buy directly from the orchard, ensuring stable sales.
To increase their income, many orchard owners have invested in improving their spaces, creating pathways, arranging miniature landscapes, and opening their doors to visitors for tours, experiences of picking and enjoying early-ripening plums in the orchards, contributing to increasing the value of the product and attracting tourists to Moc Chau.
Ms. Nguyen Thu Huyen, a tourist from Hanoi , shared: "Coming to Moc Chau at this time, we were quite surprised to be able to visit the orchards and pick ripe plums ourselves. Although the fruit wasn't as big as during the peak season, it was juicy, crunchy, and had a harmonious sweet and sour taste. After the experience, I bought some more to give as gifts to my family."
The application of science and technology in staggered plum production, combined with the development of experiential tourism, demonstrates the innovative thinking in agricultural production of the people of Moc Chau plateau. This contributes to increasing income per unit area and enriching the tourism products of the Moc Chau National Tourist Area.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/man-trai-vu-moc-chau-WDJ97FtDg.html
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