Sour fruit gives rise to sweet fruit.

For over a decade, the people of Tien Cuong village, Gia Phu commune, have chosen kumquat trees as a crop to provide a stable source of additional income. Requiring minimal care, with a stable market, year-round harvesting, and traders buying as soon as the harvest is complete, the people of Tien Cuong village affirm: The sour kumquat fruit is yielding "sweet fruits" in this region.

Tien Cuong village has 180 households, and its people have long been known for their diligence and pioneering spirit in experimenting with new economic development models, many of which have yielded high economic returns. Growing kumquats for year-round sale is one such example. From just a few successful households, the model has now spread widely throughout the area.

The 500 kumquat trees in Mr. Tran Quoc Tuong's family garden are laden with fruit this season. A fragrant aroma emanates from the soft white blossoms densely clustered on the branches. His family has been growing kumquats for nearly 10 years. One time, he discovered that ornamental kumquat trees bloomed and bore fruit year-round, but these flowers and fruits had to be removed, waiting for the June and July harvests to bear fruit for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year). Meanwhile, the demand for fresh kumquats for daily consumption is very high. Kumquats are highly versatile, an indispensable spice in restaurants and eateries, used as an ingredient in food preparation and beverages. Seeing this, Mr. Tuong experimented with planting a few kumquat trees for fruit. Once the results were confirmed, he expanded to 500 trees. Now, with 500 trees bearing fruit year-round, not including the harvest, Mr. Tuong's family earns approximately 50 million VND annually from selling kumquats.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim's family also owns 800 kumquat trees for fruit production. Ms. Kim has been implementing this model for about 5 years, bringing in a stable income of 60-90 million VND per year. This has been a sustainable source of additional income for Ms. Kim's family for many years.

The villagers of Tien Cuong have compared the profits from growing kumquats for fruit with those from growing ornamental kumquats for Tet (Lunar New Year). Green kumquats are priced at around 13,000 - 15,000 VND/kg, and during peak seasons, the price can reach 25,000 VND/kg, or even 100,000 VND/kg during periods of scarcity. If a medium-sized ornamental kumquat tree, about 2 meters tall, is allowed to bear fruit normally and is used for selling green fruit, it can yield 50-60 kg of fruit per year in dozens of harvests. Larger trees with wide canopies can normally yield nearly 100 kg of green fruit per year. Thus, the economic value of growing kumquats for selling green fruit can be higher than growing them for ornamental purposes, and it requires less effort in pruning and shaping, and has lower risks…

Kumquat growers in Tien Cuong village also shared their cultivation techniques: Before planting, the soil must be loosened to create favorable conditions for the kumquats to grow well. After 9 months from planting, the kumquats begin to bear fruit. To ensure continuous fruiting, organic fertilizer should be applied about every 20 days, and the branches must be pruned regularly to maintain a suitable height for easy harvesting.

Tien Cuong village currently has about 10 households growing kumquats for fruit, covering an area of ​​approximately 3 hectares. With its stable economic value, this model can be replicated with the participation of many more households. According to the specialized agency of Gia Phu commune, it would be more effective if the kumquat cultivation model achieved OCOP certification. In the future, the local government will continue to encourage kumquat cultivation in an organic direction, gradually building a brand based on OCOP product certification, contributing to socio-economic development and creating stable jobs and income for local workers.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/qua-chua-cho-trai-ngot-post891335.html