Developing a model for growing seedless lemons.

In 2020, on 4 hectares of low-yield rice fields, the family of Mr. Le Van Lam in Hoang Dao commune (Hoang Hoa district) switched to a seedless lemon cultivation model. Thanks to the application of new scientific and technical advancements in production towards safe and organic farming, the seedless lemon trees have initially brought high economic efficiency.

Developing a model for growing seedless lemons. The seedless lemon farming model of Mr. Le Van Lam's family in Hoang Dao commune (Hoang Hoa district) has yielded high economic efficiency.

Mr. Le Van Lam said: “To achieve this success, my wife and I had to go through many failed experiments with different models. When we went to the South to learn about seedless lemons, we found that they are easy to grow, not picky about soil, and bear fruit year-round, so I decided to invest in them. Our hard work paid off, and now the model provides a stable income for our family.”

Through conversation, we learned that Mr. Lam skillfully applied his learned knowledge and experience to plan his planting area, planting trees in rows and furrows with a density of 400 lemon branches per hectare. Seedless lemon trees bear fruit within 18 months and produce fruit year-round; on average, seedless lemon trees only show signs of aging after more than 10 years. It is estimated that each tree yields over 1,000 fruits, averaging about 50-70 kg per tree per year. The selling price at the orchard ranges from 35,000 to 45,000 VND per kg. Currently, Mr. Lam's lemon orchard is harvested once a month, with a yield of 1.2-1.5 tons of fruit per month, bringing in an income of over 200 million VND per year.

To ensure the quality of his lemons, Mr. Lam fertilizes them with organic fertilizers and microbial powder. He applies organic fertilizer to the base of the trees every 2 to 3 months. This reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, increases resistance to pests and diseases, promotes more flowering and fruiting, and improves the quality of agricultural products in a safe manner. At the same time, Mr. Lam invested over 100 million VND in an automatic sprinkler irrigation system to keep his trees healthy and adequately moist. The irrigation system offers several advantages for seedless lemons, such as: ensuring even water distribution and maintaining the necessary moisture level around the base of the trees, limiting weed growth, and avoiding clogging risks associated with drip irrigation systems. Importantly, Mr. Lam also incorporates fertilization through the irrigation system, reducing labor costs for fertilization and increasing fertilizer efficiency, optimizing yield.

To sell the large quantity of lemons harvested each time, Mr. Lam has connected with traders who come directly to his orchard to purchase the produce. He has also signed a contract with Four Seasons Green Agriculture Joint Stock Company (Hanoi) to buy his products, ensuring relatively stable sales and prices. In the near future, Mr. Lam's family plans to collaborate with local residents to convert less productive land into seedless lemon cultivation.

The success of Mr. Lam's seedless lemon farming model demonstrates that farmers are increasingly adept at adapting their crops, improving their income, and contributing effectively to the local agricultural restructuring policy. In the coming time, Hoang Dao commune (Hoang Hoa district) will continue land consolidation and exchange, creating favorable conditions for households and businesses to invest in seedless lemon cultivation. This will create a concentrated seedless lemon production area focusing on safe, organic farming, and export.

Text and photos: Chi Pham

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