Tissue culture banana growing model in Tan Long commune - Photo: SH
For nearly a month (from September 4 to 28, 1975), the trucks covered in grease and mud brought 415 households from Bich Khe, Tan Dinh, An Mo, Bich La Thuong, Dai Loc, Dau Kenh, Phu Luu, Ve Nghia, Phuong Ngan villages (Trieu Long commune, Trieu Phong district) to the new land of Tan Long. At that time, Tan Long land was just a wild forest and mountains. A few poor stilt houses of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic groups were looming in the cold afternoon mist of the border region. People began to clear reeds and buy sim trees to build camps. They slept at night and went up the hill during the day to clear trees and reclaim every inch of land amidst the many bomb craters. There were many tragic deaths due to bombs and mines left over from the war.
At that time, the fear of the people who came to the new economic zone to make a living was not hunger or danger from bombs and mines... but malaria. Many people were tormented by malaria and could not bear it, so they had to give up their dream of living in the new countryside to return to their old hometown or go elsewhere to make a living. And nearly 1/3 of the population of Tan Long commune (130 households) could not continue to stay in the new countryside.
And then, Tan Long land continued to welcome hundreds of households from all over to develop the economy. People who have stuck with Tan Long land since the first day of establishment until now still remember the story "the land does not disappoint people". That is a lesson about choosing the type of tree on agricultural land, just choose the right tree to grow, the day of sweet fruit harvest will not be far away. The journey to find the type of tree suitable for the soil of this land took decades. Many people tried to grow many types of fruit trees but failed, the cycle of poverty continued. Until the people here discovered the banana tree that is quite suitable for the climate and soil conditions of the commune. The banana tree planted here grows quickly, produces large, round fruit, has a sweet and fragrant taste, and does not turn black after a long time.
“Good news travels fast”, traders from many places traveled to Tan Long commune to buy bananas in their gardens. Not long after, Tan Long bananas became an export item. By 2005, the whole Tan Long commune had 410 hectares of bananas. Banana products were supplied to the market in the province and the provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, contributing to increasing income and improving the lives of the people.
In addition to traditional banana cultivation, local people also research and apply new banana cultivation methods for higher economic value. Mr. Nguyen Van Quan in Tan Long commune is one of the pioneers in growing tissue culture bananas in Huong Hoa district. In October 2023, he started building a tissue culture banana cultivation model, and this banana garden has now been harvested.
At that time, it was noticed that many banana gardens in Tan Long commune had been planted for many years, so the productivity and output were decreasing. The reason was that people mainly grew bananas on upland and hilly land, depending entirely on soil quality and climate, and almost did not invest in fertilizing and watering.
Then the consumption of fresh bananas is unstable, depending heavily on the Chinese and Thai markets, so there are times when the price of bananas drops very low, only about 4,000 - 5,000 VND/kg on weekdays, from 8,000 - 10,000 VND/kg on holidays, so many banana growers are no longer interested in taking care of their banana gardens.
Mr. Quan has researched and planted nearly 6,000 tissue-cultured banana trees on an area of nearly 4 hectares. To implement the model, he invested in a drip irrigation system. The process of caring for the tissue-cultured banana garden was implemented by Mr. Quan according to the technical process in an organic direction. He then continued to expand the area of tissue-cultured bananas to 7 hectares. Up to now, about 2/3 of the area has begun to yield harvests with an annual income of hundreds of millions of VND. The model will create a premise for local people to learn and change the method of growing bananas to continue to promote the potential and advantages of this crop in Tan Long.
Chairman of Tan Long Commune People's Committee Vo Van Cuong said that Tan Long Commune has an area of 750 hectares of honey-muc bananas, accounting for nearly 40% of the honey-muc banana area of Huong Hoa District. In recent times, Huong Hoa District has actively supported banana growers in Tan Long Commune as well as in the district in finding ways to expand export markets to increase the value of banana trees. Find resources to support people to gradually improve productivity, output, and quality of banana products. Encourage banana growers to apply scientific and technical advances in production; focus on intensive investment to increase productivity and product quality, link production with exploitation and protection of resources and ecological environment.
Strengthening links with businesses to invest, maintain stable existing banana acreage, build and promote brands and geographical indications for agricultural products, especially OCOP products, as well as investing in new construction and upgrading infrastructure systems in agriculture to develop the local economy.
Support businesses in terms of land rental mechanisms and capital sources to invest in machinery and equipment to improve productivity, efficiency and quality of banana processing products. In addition, Tan Long commune people are currently shifting to developing farm and mixed-use economy, especially livestock farming.
Up to now, the whole Tan Long commune has 392 farms, livestock farms, of which 128 farms, cattle farms; 249 farms, pig farms; 15 poultry farms. Raising fattening cattle also brings high economic efficiency.
Until now, the hard and arduous days when they first came to the new land to start a business only remain in the memories of the people of Tan Long commune.
And in that once poor countryside, now the immense green of banana trees is bringing prosperity, warmth, and happiness... The green land of Tan Long with banana trees has now truly "turned into a dragon".
Sy Hoang
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/may-mua-qua-ngot-tren-dat-tan-long-193962.htm
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