Chieng Co tangerine season

The tangerine harvest season in Chiềng Cọ commune, Sơn La city, has been underway for almost a month. Now is the ideal time to enjoy them because the tangerines have reached their peak ripeness, offering a fragrant and delicious flavor.

The tangerine season in Chiềng Cọ, Sơn La city.

Tangerines are citrus fruits grown in many places, but tangerines from Chiềng Cọ have a distinctly delicious flavor unlike those from other areas.

The tangerine orchards are laden with fruit.

According to the elders of the village, tangerines used to be grown in the gardens of households, and they were fragrant and delicious. After many years of cultivation, many tangerine orchards have become old and unproductive, with small, dry, sour fruits and low yields; at times, they could only be sold for a few thousand dong per kilogram.

To preserve the native mandarin variety and enhance the productivity and value of Chieng Co mandarins, in 2021, the City's Agricultural Services Center implemented a model for improving and intensively cultivating Chieng Co mandarins on a 2-hectare scale for households in Ngoai village.

Organic tangerine farming model in Ngoai village, Chieng Co commune.

Participating households use polymer granules with high water absorption capacity to fertilize mandarin trees; use new generation plant growth regulators; use micronutrient fertilizers to reduce premature fruit drop; apply pruning and shaping techniques; fertilize and use pesticides according to the "4 correct principles"...

Officials from Chiềng Cọ commune guide farmers on how to care for their tangerine orchards.

After two years of implementing the model, the City People's Committee, in coordination with the Gia Lam Vegetable and Fruit Experimental Research Center, evaluated the results and found that: The model has improved the yield and quality of mandarins; the percentage of sweet fruit, juicy segments, sugar content, vitamin C, and Brix of mandarins are higher compared to mandarin orchards outside the model, and especially, there is no longer the phenomenon of dry fruit segments and bland fruit as in previous years.

The tangerine orchard of Mr. Tong Van Thanh's family in Ngoai village is planted on a gently sloping hillside. Every tree is laden with ripe, golden fruit, requiring the owner to use bamboo stakes as supports for the branches. Mr. Thanh shared: "In 2021, after being selected by the City's Agricultural Services Center to participate in the model of improving and intensively cultivating Chieng Co tangerines, my family received guidance on planting techniques, pruning, care, fertilization, pest control, and the use of moisture-retaining materials on sloping land... thanks to which the quality of tangerines has improved. This year, the orchard is expected to yield about 4 tons, with an average price of 20-30 thousand VND/kg, bringing in nearly 100 million VND in income."

Mr. Lu Van Bang's family in Muong Yen village is harvesting tangerines.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Mr. Lu Van Bang's household in Muong Yen village applied pruning and shaping techniques, and used organic fertilizer instead of inorganic fertilizer for their mandarin trees. With nearly 2,000 m² of mandarin trees, they expect to harvest about 3.5 tons of fruit this season. Currently, traders are buying the fruit directly from the orchard at prices ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 VND/kg.

Tangerine orchard in Muong Yen village, Chieng Co commune.

Born and raised in Son La, and now living and working in Hanoi , Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh shared: "When I was little, during tangerine season, my mother used to buy them for the whole family to eat and dry the peels to use as a spice to make dishes more appealing, such as using them to braise fish, make patties, or brew tea... On this visit to my hometown, I had the opportunity to enjoy Chieng Co tangerines and I feel that the tangerines now still retain their characteristic aroma, but taste much better, with larger, juicier, and richer-flavored fruits."

Chieng Co tangerines are packaged in 5 kg and 15 kg boxes.

Chiềng Cọ tangerines are characterized by their flattened, round shape. When ripe, the peel is yellow and often blemished by frost. The fruits are not too large, with 5-6 tangerines per kilogram. The segments are juicy, and when ripe, they have a sweet and slightly sour taste. Tangerines are widely sold at Rặng Tếch Market, 7/11 Market, 308 Market, and Tô Hiệu Ward Market.

People in Muong Yen village, Chieng Co commune, are harvesting tangerines.

According to Ms. Tong Thi Bo, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Chieng Co commune: The entire commune has more than 15 hectares of tangerine orchards, with nearly 100 households having tangerine gardens, mainly concentrated in the villages of Ngoai, Muong, Hun, and Ot Noi. Of these, Ngoai village alone has nearly 10 hectares. Chieng Co is not expanding the area but is focusing on promoting the application of scientific and technological advancements to increase tangerine productivity and quality, and building the Chieng Co tangerine brand.

The ancient mandarin trees are laden with fruit.

Chieng Co tangerines are usually harvested from the end of November until the Lunar New Year. However, the best-tasting tangerines are available from the end of November to December each year.

Mr. Nguyen The Phuong, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, said: "The model of improving and intensively cultivating Chieng Co tangerines has been successfully implemented. In the coming time, the City will continue to direct the Agricultural Services Center to coordinate with the commune, propagate and mobilize farmers, replicate the model of tangerine care in an organic direction, and take steps to build a brand for the product."

Chiềng Cọ tangerines are being cultivated by households using advanced scientific and technical methods, following organic farming practices and VietGAP standards, to enhance their value and build a brand for this local specialty fruit.

Minh Thu - Huy Thanh

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