THAI NGUYEN Ivan fertilizer, derived from natural sources, can be sprayed on leaves or applied to the soil in tea plantations. This helps to decompose pesticides, improve soil quality, and detoxify the soil.
Many tea plantations in the midland region have degraded and deteriorated due to a lack of proper renovation procedures. Photo: Quang Linh.
As the leading tea-producing province in the country in terms of area, output, and income per hectare, Thai Nguyen province is committed to continuing to innovate and improve product quality, affirming its position as the "Number One Famous Tea" region. This includes focusing on developing organic tea products.
However, one of the challenges in developing organic tea growing areas in Thai Nguyen province is the depletion of soil nutrients.
Solutions for degraded tea plantation land.
The tea plantations in the midland areas of the province were all planted from seeds many years ago and are now at the end of their harvesting cycle. Farmers also use a mix of different varieties in the same growing region. During cultivation, people focus only on harvesting and do not pay attention to intensive farming. Many areas are not properly cared for and harvested using the correct techniques, so the yield of the tea plantations is decreasing.
Long-term tea plantations that have not been properly improved, or have received little to no organic fertilizer, have become excessively acidic. Furthermore, the lack of soil-improving plants and shade trees has led to the rapid degradation of tea plantations.
In response to this situation, the Thai Nguyen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with Bach Duong Green Agriculture Co., Ltd., is implementing a model using specialized fertilizers to detoxify and improve soil, accelerate the process of balancing the ecosystem, and create conditions for root development in tea plants at cooperatives and farms in Thai Nguyen province.
The bio-organic fertilizer of herbal origin used in the model is Ivan Ovsinsky Fulvohumate (referred to as Ivan), imported and distributed by Bach Duong Green Agriculture Company. Ivan fertilizer's main components include humic acid, fulvic acid, pHH20… This type of fertilizer specializes in detoxifying and improving soil, accelerating the process of restoring balance to the ecosystem.
Soil treated with Ivan fertilizer exhibits noticeable looseness and aeration. Photo: Quang Linh.
According to Mr. Vu Tuan Thanh, Chairman of the Board of Members and Director of Bach Duong Green Agriculture Co., Ltd., Ivan is a product made entirely from 100% organic ingredients and utilizes nanotechnology. Ivan fertilizer can be diluted with water and sprayed on leaves or applied to the soil in tea plantations. Its function is to decompose pesticides, improve soil quality, and detoxify the soil.
Heavy metals remaining in the soil, such as phosphorus, chlorine, sodium, iron, copper, and manganese, will be transformed, reducing acidity, stimulating the growth of all microorganisms in the soil, and contributing to the restoration of soil porosity.
The model was implemented in 24 households with 5 hectares of tea plantations producing according to Vietnamese organic standards TCVN 11041 - 6:2018 or VietGAP standards, and undergoing organic conversion in Dai Tu, Phu Luong, and Dong Hy districts.
Ivan fertilizer is applied on top of existing fertilizers used by individual tea growers, such as microbial organic fertilizer, well-rotted manure, Que Lam 01 fertilizer, earthworm castings, and NPK compound fertilizer. The timing of applying Ivan fertilizer depends on the specific condition of the tea plants in each household. Specifically, the first application is 3-5 days after harvesting; the second application is 5-7 days after the first; and the third application is 5-7 days after the second, with a dosage of 0.5 liters per application per 1,000 m².
Monitoring at 5 households using Ivan fertilizer showed that the yield of 3 harvests using Ivan fertilizer increased by an average of 16-39 kg of fresh tea leaves per harvest compared to the control group.
Effective land improvement
Mr. Mai Van Nam, from Non Beo hamlet, La Bang commune (Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province), is using Ivan fertilizer on his family's 1,000m2 VietGAP-certified tea plants to transition to organic farming. After using Ivan herbal fertilizer to water the tea plants (starting in May 2023) and the third tea crop, Mr. Nam noticed that the tea plants were healthier, with greener and thicker leaves, and higher bud yield.
"Although we've only used Ivan fertilizer for three harvests, the tea plantation has shown a noticeable change. The soil is humus-rich and loose, and the roots of the tea plants have many new hairs. In addition, the tea plants are strong and healthy, with less moss and lichen clinging to the stems and surfaces of older leaves, and the buds are yellowish-green," Mr. Nam said.
According to the Thai Nguyen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, samples taken from the soil of households participating in the organic production model using Ivan fertilizer showed that the levels of arsenic, lead, and cadmium had decreased, and no pesticide residues were detected after using Ivan fertilizer.
After nearly 8 months of implementation, with 3 harvests, the yield of fresh tea buds increased by an average of about 16-39 kg per harvest per 1,000 m2 area.
According to Ms. Ngo Thi Luyen, a technical officer at the Thai Nguyen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, new roots appeared in the first crop using Ivan fertilizer, and by the third crop, the new roots had developed very strongly. This demonstrates the plants' ability to absorb nutrients well and efficiently convert difficult-to-digest nutrients.
Organic tea buds at Khe Coc Safe Tea Cooperative have a yellowish-green color, are glossy, and have short shoots. Photo: Quang Linh.
Khe Coc Safe Tea Cooperative (Tuc Tranh commune, Phu Luong district, Thai Nguyen province) is currently using Ivan fertilizer for organic tea cultivation in Phu Luong district.
"Using Ivan fertilizer helps to gradually shorten the harvesting time after each crop. In particular, the fibrous roots and rootlets develop strongly. The buds have a uniform thickness. After harvesting, we noticed that the tea has a yellowish-green color, is clear, has a rich natural aroma, and a creamy, mildly astringent taste...", shared Mr. To Van Khien, Director of Khe Coc Safe Tea Cooperative.
The Khe Coc Safe Tea Cooperative has sent samples of tea grown with Ivan fertilizer to its partner in Germany for customers there to experience the product. The leader of the Khe Coc Safe Tea Cooperative said that the German partner highly appreciated the quality of the organic tea grown with Ivan fertilizer and promised to visit Vietnam to inspect the production area with the intention of importing the product.
Given the environmental benefits of Ivan fertilizer, Mr. Ha Trong Tuan, Director of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, believes that using Ivan fertilizer in tea production can gradually reduce and completely replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides if applied long-term. This will contribute to balancing the ecosystem in the production area, making the soil more porous, preventing erosion, and promoting healthy root development.
Farmers hope that Bach Duong Green Agriculture Co., Ltd. will continue to offer preferential policies for local people when purchasing products to promote organic production in the area. Photo: Quang Linh.
Calling on businesses to produce organic tea.
Given the consumer and market demand for clean, safe products and a green lifestyle, the transition to organic agriculture through the application of specialized fertilizers for detoxification and soil improvement in tea cultivation is an inevitable direction.
Therefore, solutions and the involvement of all levels and sectors are urgently needed to support brand building and product promotion in order to enhance the value and quality of tea products. This will affirm its position as the "Number One Famous Tea".
According to Mr. Nguyen Ta, Head of the Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub-Department of Thai Nguyen province, not only organic fertilizers but also biological pesticides are top priorities for the agricultural sector in Thai Nguyen province. Mr. Ta stated that the locality is always "rolling out the red carpet" and encouraging businesses producing and trading organic fertilizers and biological herbal pesticides to invest in, develop production, and distribute these products.
Currently, Thai Nguyen province has established a large-scale fresh tea leaf production area, with a total tea cultivation area of nearly 22,500 hectares and an average yield of 125 quintals/hectare. The total fresh tea leaf production is approximately 252,000 tons. The average value of the product obtained reaches 270 million VND/hectare.
Besides tea plants, in Phu Binh district (Thai Nguyen province), the District Agricultural Services Center, in coordination with the local government, selected 460 households from 8 communes to implement the use of Ivan fertilizer on 50 hectares of rice, from June to November 2023.
Households at the model implementation sites all commented that Ivan fertilizer was effective, improving the soil texture, promoting better rice plant growth throughout the growing season, and resulting in higher yields compared to the control plots. This has led to higher economic efficiency, and long-term use will yield even greater economic benefits.
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