Sweet and fragrant Que Duong grapefruit

With the advantage of alluvial land along the Day River, in recent years, people in Duong Hoa commune (Hanoi) have expanded and developed the cultivation of Que Duong grapefruit in the direction of commodities. This is a specialty grapefruit variety, with large fruits, delicious sweetness, and is favored by consumers. Que Duong grapefruit brings high economic benefits, helping people increase their income and develop the economy.

Worrying about farmers' worries

Meeting Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hao, Director of Que Duong Pomelo Cooperative (Duong Hoa Commune, Hanoi ) during the days when the pomelo garden is entering the harvest season. Here, most families have pomelo gardens, focusing mainly on three varieties of pomelos: Super sweet pomelo, Que Duong pomelo and Dien pomelo. However, Dien pomelo is a pomelo variety brought from elsewhere, while Que Duong pomelo is a specialty of this countryside.

Sharing about his relationship with grapefruit trees, Mr. Hao said that, starting out as a farmer and once holding the role of Chairman of the Commune Farmers' Association, Mr. Hao understands the difficulties of people in traditional agricultural production - working based on experience, depending on weather and market.

Que Duong grapefruit products are now considered the main product, have been granted a collective trademark, and have become a typical local specialty. Photo: Ngoc Nga

From that concern, in 2019, he and other households founded the Phu Duong Safe Grapefruit Production Cooperative, later renamed the Que Duong Grapefruit Cooperative. Initially, there were only 9 members with nearly 3 hectares of grapefruit, but now the safe growing area of ​​Phu Duong commune has expanded, creating stable jobs and higher income for the people.

According to Mr. Hao, the Que Duong grapefruit variety originated from a seed grapefruit tree, preserved and propagated by Mr. Tran Thao's family in Thap Thuong hamlet. Thanks to its beautiful appearance, large fruit, thin flesh, and moderate sweetness, people love it and have since propagated it to many families. The harvest time of Que Duong grapefruit usually starts from the full moon of August, about 2 to 3 months earlier than Dien grapefruit, so people plant it alternately to spread out the crop. In recent years, wherever people harvest Que Duong grapefruit, traders come to the garden to buy it.

“Que Duong grapefruit products are now considered the main product, have been granted a collective trademark, and have become a typical local specialty. At the same time, the cooperative has also expanded the cultivation of Taiwanese guava, bringing high economic efficiency and suitable for the soil conditions of the suburban areas of Hanoi,” said Mr. Hao.

In 2024, Que Duong grapefruit and Le guava achieved 3-star OCOP certification. This is a great step forward in bringing safe products closer to consumers.

Mr. Hao composted the organic fertilizer bins, ensuring the right quality and process to water the grapefruit and guava trees. Photo: Ngoc Nga

Bringing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology into production

In 2024, when Mr. Hao attended training courses on digital transformation in agriculture, from being unfamiliar with smartphones, he gradually mastered production management tools, pest identification, fertilizer optimization and plant growth monitoring through AI applications.

Mr. Hao said: “AI gives me scientific advice, and my experience as a farmer helps me make reasonable adjustments to reality. These two factors complement each other very effectively.”

Thanks to the application of technology, the cooperative's products are traceable and sold on e-commerce platforms. If previously grapefruit was only sold through traders at a price of 15,000 - 17,000 VND/fruit, now organic grapefruit with traceable origin is priced at 50,000 VND/fruit, with stable consumption and expanding the market.

“We not only sell agricultural products, but also sell the belief in clean, safe and healthy products,” Mr. Hao proudly shared.

In 2024, Que Duong grapefruit and Le guava achieved 3-star OCOP certification. This is a great step forward in bringing safe products closer to consumers. Photo: Ngoc Nga

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hao, despite being over 70 years old, still continues to learn. He has collaborated with a group of young engineers to develop “Organic Garden AI Assistant” - an application that integrates knowledge of plant care, pest identification and guidance on safe farming processes. Users only need to upload images of diseased leaves or fruits, the AI ​​system will identify and suggest appropriate treatment, helping farmers save time and effort. This is a model that combines farmer knowledge and artificial intelligence, creating a powerful “digital arm” to support small-scale agricultural production.

Thanks to the pioneering spirit of Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hao and the young generation, Que Duong Grapefruit Cooperative not only creates regular jobs for many local workers, but also opens up a new direction for agricultural development in the suburban areas of Hanoi.

Members are trained for free in the use of digital tools, promotion skills, livestream sales and online order management. The long-term goal is to form a “digital farming community” where every farmer can become a smart farm manager through the phone in hand.

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Source: https://baophapluat.vn/ngot-thom-trai-buoi-que-duong.html