According to Mr. Tuong Van Khanh, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department of Dak To District, the total area of macadamia trees in the district is currently over 1,200 hectares; of which, over 50% is intercropped with coffee. Coffee trees have been cultivated by the people for a long time, while macadamia trees were only started being planted in 2014. For many years, these two crops have provided a stable income.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cuong's family (54 years old, residing in Hamlet 5, Tan Canh Commune) planted 200 macadamia trees interspersed within their 3-hectare coffee plantation in 2015. By 2021, they harvested 900 kg of fresh nuts, earning over 40 million VND. From 2022 to the present, the yield of his macadamia orchard has gradually increased, with each tree producing 15-25 kg of fresh nuts. In the 2024 harvest season, he harvested 3 tons of fresh nuts. To enhance the value and quality of macadamia nuts, in 2024, his family invested 50 million VND in purchasing a shelling machine and a mini drying oven to process them into finished products, no longer selling them fresh. The finished macadamia nuts sell for a significantly higher price, from 180,000 to 200,000 VND/kg. Currently, his family earns over 100 million VND annually from macadamia trees after deducting investment costs.
“Macadamia trees are well-suited to the natural conditions here, requiring less care and fertilizer than other crops. In particular, intercropping utilizes the vacant land in the plantation, as well as irrigation water and fertilizer from the coffee plants. Starting from the sixth year, there is a stable income, contributing to increased income per unit area. Intercropping macadamia with coffee is economically efficient, while the investment costs are lower. Since 2023, my family has planted an additional 100 macadamia trees in our coffee plantation, hoping for even higher income in the future,” Mr. Cuong shared.
In Tan Canh commune, coffee is the main crop, while macadamia nuts are mainly intercropped to provide windbreaks and increase income for the people. However, since 2022, with support from the district in providing seedlings, people in the commune have increasingly developed macadamia cultivation. As a result, the area planted with macadamia trees has grown significantly and is gradually becoming one of the commune's main crops. To date, the entire commune has developed more than 121 hectares of macadamia trees, of which over 60% are intercropped with coffee.
Mr. Mai Huy Hung, Chairman of the Tan Canh Commune People's Committee, said: "Monitoring shows that macadamia trees are well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions, and are less susceptible to pests and diseases. In addition, people have received training in production knowledge and skills, and have diligently invested in caring for the intercropped macadamia trees, resulting in a yield of 15-25 kg of fresh fruit per tree per year. The model of intercropping coffee with macadamia helps households earn an additional income of 30-40 million VND per hectare per year."
In 2014, Mr. Hoang Van Ngoan's family (58 years old, residing in Dak Nu village, Ngok Tu commune) experimented with planting nearly 200 macadamia trees on over 1 hectare of coffee land to provide shade and windbreaks while also generating economic benefits. Initially, due to lack of experience, nearly 20% of the trees died, leaving only about 160. After nearly 5 years of planting and caring for them, the macadamia trees began to bear fruit and are now yielding a stable harvest with an average yield of about 3-3.2 quintals of dried macadamia nuts per year. Mr. Ngoan processes, packages, and sells the macadamia nuts himself at a price of 180,000 VND/kg or more, bringing in an income of over 70 million VND per year.
According to Mr. Ngoan, intercropping macadamia trees in coffee plantations not only brings economic benefits but also mitigates the impact of strong winds and storms, increases humidity, and reduces temperature for coffee plants. This, in turn, helps coffee plants grow better. Furthermore, macadamia trees are easy to grow and require almost no care. They are resistant to pests and diseases, and while tending to the coffee plants, one can conveniently care for the macadamia trees as well. The harvest season is different from that of coffee, requiring less labor. Importantly, unlike other fruit trees, macadamia cultivation eliminates concerns about sales. Simply harvesting, processing, and packaging the macadamia nuts ensures they are all sold to customers.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/dak-to-kon-tum-nong-dan-thu-loi-tu-trong-mac-ca-xen-ca-phe-249229.html
Comment (0)