Mr. Le Thanh Cong harvests chayote shoots from early morning to ensure timely delivery to traders. Photo: LE TRUNG HIEU
Every year, when the rainy season begins, around the 6th lunar month, gardeners on Mount Cam start setting up trellises and planting cassava. After about 3 months, the plants are ready for harvest, and this can last for 5-6 months if well cared for. According to Mr. Tran Van Hao, residing in Vo Ba hamlet, cassava is a suitable crop for the soil and cool climate of Mount Cam. However, cassava plants cannot be grown continuously for many years due to easy degeneration, pest and disease infestation, and reduced yield, so after 2-3 years, the land needs to be left fallow or rotated with other crops. "On Mount Cam, the weather is usually clearly divided into 6 months of dry season and 6 months of rainy season. During the rainy season, most people plant two main varieties: smooth-skinned cassava and spiny-skinned cassava. Although the selling price is not too high, the market is stable, bringing income to the people," Mr. Hao shared.
With 4 plots of land (1,000 m² /plot), Mr. Hao planted about 400 chayote plants. Currently, his family harvests 120-150 kg of chayote shoots daily, which are purchased by traders at prices ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 VND/kg depending on the time of year. “This year the weather has been favorable, the chayote has grown well, the yield is high, and the selling price is also quite good, so everyone is very happy. If I harvest all the plants, I will make a profit of about 30 million VND/plot, which will ease my family's worries this Tet holiday,” Mr. Hao happily said.
While consumers previously preferred large chayote squash for soups, stir-fries, or salads, the market now favors baby chayote, a variety only about the size of two fingers. From early morning, locals harvest baby chayote squash using flashlights, transporting it by motorbike down mountain trails to traders. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai Yen, a trader who buys baby chayote squash, said that the market is quite stable. “Besides selling at markets in Chau Doc and Long Xuyen, I also deliver to Can Tho, Dong Thap, and Ho Chi Minh City. At the beginning of the season, I buy about 300-400 kg per day, and during peak season, it can reach 700-800 kg,” Ms. Yen said.
Steamed baby shrimp with fermented bean curd dipping sauce is a popular attraction for tourists. Photo: LE TRUNG HIEU.
Besides growing chayote for sale, many households also combine it with experiential tourism . Mr. Le Thanh Cong, residing in Thien Tue hamlet, grows several chayote vines in his homestay grounds to serve visiting tourists, and also rents an additional 3 acres of land to grow chayote to increase his income. "Tourists really enjoy picking chayote buds themselves to take home as souvenirs. The price is a little higher than selling to traders, but they are still happy because they get the experience," Mr. Cong shared.
According to Mr. Cong, the young shoots of the Cam Mountain chayote have a distinctive fragrant and sweet flavor. Simply boiling them and dipping them in salt and chili or other sauces is delicious. They can also be prepared in many ways, such as stewing, stir-frying, or making soup. The young shoots are used as a vegetable, boiled or stir-fried, and are popular with many tourists. Ms. Quach Hai Huong, a tourist from Dong Nai, said: “At Cam Mountain, besides admiring the mountain scenery and visiting the temples, I also enjoyed many local specialties. I bought 10kg of young chayote shoots to take home as gifts for my friends.”
From a familiar crop, the "su nu" plant has become a specialty that attracts tourists, connecting agricultural production with experiential tourism. When the "su nu" season arrives, Mount Cam becomes even more vibrant, promising to continue being an attractive destination for those who love nature and want to find the simple, authentic values of the An Giang mountainous region.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mua-su-nu-tren-nui-cam-a473777.html
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