The person who contributed to creating the Soi Ha grapefruit brand

Mr. Do Khac Thoa has great contributions in building the Soi Ha grapefruit brand.

In 1990, Mr. Do Khac Thoa and some families from Ha Tay province came to the land along Gam river, Soi Ha village, Xuan Van commune to start a business. In his luggage to the new land, he brought with him some pomelo varieties.

At that time, he simply thought of growing it to serve his family's needs, to have fruit to display during Tet, but he did not think that this grapefruit variety would become a famous specialty brand later. In the first years of starting his business, Mr. Thoa's family grew sugarcane to sell to the market, life was stable.

In the home garden, the grapefruit tree is suitable for the soil and climate, so it grows and develops well, bears many fruits, has long segments, thick flesh, sweet taste and is less bitter than those grown elsewhere. “Back then, I only planted a few trees for food, everyone who came to visit and tried them praised the deliciousness. Then, every time merchants went by boat on the Gam River, they would go ashore to buy grapefruit to sell downstream.

"That's how grapefruit became known to many people," Mr. Thoa recalled. By the 2000s, the local grapefruit variety was famous, and traders came to buy it, with an economic value many times higher than other crops.

Growers and traders have since named the grapefruit variety after the riverside area: Soi Ha grapefruit. Seeing the increasing market demand, Mr. Thoa began to propagate the variety to expand the planting area. The first grapefruit trees that produced good fruit became the source of seeds for further propagation.

Not only that, he also provides seeds and guides people in the village and commune on planting and care techniques. The area of Soi Ha grapefruit in the commune has increased from a few trees at first to several hundred hectares with hundreds of households planting. Mr. Thoa's family alone has 3 hectares with about 900 trees, giving a stable harvest.

Each year, the output reaches 70 to 80 tons, the revenue is about 900 million VND, after deducting expenses, the profit is about 500 million VND. In order to diversify products and extend the harvest season, he also grows green-skinned pomelos, wrinkled pomelos, and cat que pomelos, helping the harvest season to last from August to December of the lunar calendar.

Since 2021, Mr. Thoa and many households in the commune have converted most of the grapefruit growing area to planting and caring according to VietGAP processes, ensuring safety and improving product quality. Thanks to that, Soi Ha grapefruit has entered the large domestic supermarket system and reached the export market. In 2024, the first batch of grapefruit was exported to the UK.

This year, his family and many households continue to cooperate with businesses in Hanoi to export grapefruit abroad. Exported grapefruit that meets standards and has beautiful appearance is purchased at 20,000 VND/fruit, opening up a new and promising direction for growers. Mr. Thoa happily said: "It is the pride not only of his family but also of the people in the commune.

Soi Ha grapefruit is now on the map of agricultural exports, giving us more motivation to take care of the trees and preserve the brand of our hometown grapefruit. Up to now, Soi Ha grapefruit has become the main crop in Xuan Van, accounting for a large proportion in the agricultural sector structure.

Many households have escaped poverty and become rich thanks to grapefruit trees. To preserve the brand and develop sustainably, the commune is actively coordinating with specialized agencies to build concentrated grapefruit growing areas that meet VietGAP standards and promote digital transformation in agriculture.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Manh Linh commune said: "Mr. Do Khac Thoa is a shining example in the local economic development movement, who has contributed to creating the Soi Ha grapefruit brand, a high-value agricultural product.

In the coming time, the direction of the commune is to form a concentrated fruit growing area, including Soi Ha grapefruit; associated with the application of science and technology, building brands to improve product quality and value.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguoi-gop-phan-tao-thuong-hieu-buoi-soi-ha-post923213.html