Muong La brings fruit trees to sloping land

Farmers of Muong Bu commune pack mangoes, ensuring export standards.

Before 2016, agriculture in Muong La district faced many difficulties due to the cultivation of short-term crops on sloping land, the land was easily eroded and degraded; along with farming practices that depended on nature, leading to low productivity and quality of agricultural products.

Implementing the policy of planting fruit trees on sloping land, Muong La district has promoted propaganda, raised people's awareness and concretized it with plans suitable to the climate and soil conditions of each region, such as developing the planting of mango, longan, banana trees in the communes of Muong Bu, Ta Bu, Pi Toong, Muong Chum; hawthorn trees in the highland communes of Ngoc Chien, Chieng An, Chieng Cong... Thanks to that, the policy has been strongly responded by the people, opening up a "green revolution" in the locality.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said: From 2016 to now, the district has invested more than 28.8 billion VND to plant over 700 hectares of new fruit trees; supported 7.2 billion VND to renovate gardens, buy packaging, traceability stamps and develop OCOP products. The whole district currently has 7,200 hectares of fruit trees of all kinds, an increase of 4,850 hectares compared to 2015. The output reached about 33,000 tons, an increase of more than 24,400 tons compared to 2015.

Promotional booth, introducing products of Doan Ket Cooperative, Muong Bu commune, Muong La district.

In addition, farmers have proactively applied technical advances and promoted high-tech agricultural production. The whole district has 3 hectares of net houses and greenhouses; 25 hectares of crops using drip irrigation systems, saving water, adapting to climate change. Forming 12 safe fruit production and processing chains; 327 hectares of fruit trees meeting VietGAP standards; 25 growing area codes for export and 5 OCOP products from fruit trees.

In the period of 2021-2025, the district's agricultural export value will reach over 130 billion VND. There are currently 14 cooperatives and enterprises linking agricultural production and processing, creating stable jobs for nearly 200 local workers. Many fruit tree planting models have helped people, especially ethnic minorities, increase their income and sustainably reduce poverty. Some households have achieved revenue from tens to hundreds of millions of VND per year. Greening sloping land also brings clear environmental effects, preventing erosion, protecting the soil and responding to climate change.

Coming to Pi Toong commune, the entire hillside is covered with green fruit gardens. From 2021 to now, people in the commune have converted 350 hectares of low-yield longan, mango, and lychee gardens into new varieties of crops, such as GL4 mango, lychee, longan, apple, etc.; proactively linked with cooperatives to build a channel for consuming fresh fruit products. Ms. Luong Thi Xien, Lua Tro village, said: Previously, her family had 2 hectares of longan and lychee, but due to long-term cultivation, the yield was low. In 2017, after being propagated and instructed by the commune on techniques, her family grafted and replanted 0.5 hectares of Hung Yen longan and Thai mango. Currently, the productivity of the garden has doubled compared to before, bringing in an income of over 100 million VND/year.

Taiwanese Mango growing model of farmers in Lam village, Chieng San commune, Muong La district.

Muong Bu is famous as the largest fruit orchard in the district, owning 1,600 hectares of diverse crops, from mango, longan, jackfruit, apple, grapefruit, plum, orange, lychee to banana, bringing an impressive yield of over 11,500 tons of fruit each year. Muong Bu farmers have proactively linked production, establishing 9 fruit growing cooperatives. With concentrated production and high technology application, the commune has nearly 300 hectares of agricultural land according to VietGAP standards, over 100 hectares of mango and longan are granted export growing area codes. These cooperatives play an important role in creating stable jobs for more than 100 local workers and ensuring the purchase of fresh products for farmers in the area.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Huong, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Hung Thinh Cooperative, Sub-area II, Muong Bu Commune, said: The Cooperative currently has 20 members, cultivating 81 hectares of various fruit trees, with an output of about 1,200 tons per year and a revenue of 28 billion VND. Since its establishment, the Cooperative has received support from the local authorities in terms of seedlings, renovating mixed gardens, building brands and origin traceability stamps. Thanks to that, the Cooperative's apple products have achieved 3-star OCOP. Members comply with VietGAP procedures, gradually switching to organic production to improve quality and meet export standards. The Cooperative currently creates regular jobs for 20 local workers, with an income of 5-6 million VND/person/month.

10 years of "greening" sloping land has brought about a strong transformation in Muong La district, improving the lives of people in remote and mountainous areas, eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and promoting the development of green and sustainable agriculture.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/muong-la-dua-cay-an-qua-len-vung-dat-doc-2maHgxxNR.html