Digitizing Lai Dong's specialties

Over the past decade or so, the mountainous region of Lai Dong has introduced a special variety of mandarin orange that is highly sought after by consumers across the country, despite its significantly higher price compared to other familiar varieties on the market. Making a fortune on this challenging land is no longer just a dream or a promising prospect, but a reality on the hills and forests of Lai Dong, developing to new heights with effective ideas and solutions to improve the quality, value, and economic efficiency of this priceless gift from nature...

Lai Dong's specialty tangerines have been helping many households escape poverty and achieve sustainable wealth.

Sweet fruits on barren land

Living in the Đồng Than area, amidst towering hills stretching as far as the eye can see, like most Mường families in the region, since he was old enough to run and jump and wield a knife and hoe, Đặng Quang Tiệp has been accustomed to going up the mountain to help his parents clear weeds and tend to the plantations. Forestry is hard work, keeping them busy year-round, with successive cycles of reforestation, but even with their best efforts, their lives are only just barely comfortable.

Unable to continue down the same path of poverty, and wanting to become prosperous, he had to find a new direction. Breaking the prejudice that hilly and forested land could only be used for growing raw materials, despite the slander and gossip, in 2012, after diligently visiting many regions to observe fruit orchards and learn planting and care techniques, Mr. Tiep decided to harvest all the eucalyptus and acacia trees on his hillside, clear the undergrowth, and invest all his savings and borrowed money to plant tangerines, oranges, pomelos, and lemons...

Like gambling with fate, for several years his family was on tenterhooks as the crops were sometimes stunted and sometimes withered due to pests and diseases. Through persistent research into proper care and disease treatment techniques, tending to the trees like newborns with unwavering faith and determination, the first harvest brought his family great joy. The tangerine crop was bountiful and the prices were good, bringing him a large sum of money, far exceeding what he would have earned from planting timber trees.

For several consecutive years afterward, word spread about his family's special Muong Kit tangerine variety, the selling price skyrocketed, and traders were waiting to buy the tangerines as soon as they were harvested, resulting in ever-increasing profits.

Currently, his family owns 7 hectares of land planted with oranges and tangerines, yielding an average of about 50 tons per year and generating revenue of approximately 1.5 billion VND. This includes 3 hectares of the specialty Muong Kit tangerines, which sell for an average price of 45,000 – 50,000 VND/kg.

Overwhelmed by the economic benefits of mandarin oranges, families in the surrounding area began to seek him out to learn from him and invest in planting mandarin oranges on their hillside land.

Ripe Muong Kit tangerines have a bright, glossy yellow color, an attractive appearance, yellow segments, a rich sweet taste, and a distinctive aroma when peeled.

To develop, it is necessary to expand the scale and link production. In 2021, the Muong Kit Fruit and Medicinal Herb Cooperative was established with him as Director, aiming to develop an agricultural model that applies technology to production, creating safe agricultural products that are favored by the market, focusing on specialty tangerine varieties and some suitable fruit trees.

To date, the cooperative has 12 official members and 10 affiliated member households, with over 10 regularly employed workers. The area planted with oranges and tangerines has expanded to over 50 hectares, all cultivated using safe organic methods. 7 hectares of tangerines and 2 hectares of oranges have been certified to meet VietGAP standards...

Grown on low hillsides in a cool climate, the oranges and tangerines of Muong Kit are large, round, and when ripe, have a bright, shiny yellow color, an attractive appearance, yellow segments, a rich sweet taste, and a distinctive aroma when peeled.

In recent years, specialty oranges and tangerines have brought in significant income, helping many families achieve a comfortable life. “Specialty orange and tangerine trees have truly become a ‘treasure’ helping the people of Lai Dong escape poverty and achieve sustainable wealth…” – Mr. Dang Quang Tiep, Director of the Muong Kit Fruit and Medicinal Herb Cooperative, confidently affirmed.

Building a sustainable brand linked to ecotourism development is the direction of Lai Dong commune, a region known for its specialty tangerine cultivation.

Enhancing value

In conjunction with the people's efforts to restructure crop and livestock production, based on leveraging existing potential and strengths, and enhancing the value and economic efficiency of agricultural products, local Party committees and authorities have implemented many practical and specific activities to promote and elevate the quality and value of specialty mandarin oranges.

In 2023, Muong Kit tangerines were certified as a 3-star OCOP product. In the same year, the cooperative proposed and received approval to implement the project "Establishing, managing, and developing the collective trademark 'Muong Kit' for oranges and tangerines in Tan Son district, Phu Tho province." Immediately after the merger, the Lai Dong Commune People's Committee implemented the Science and Technology project: "Application of digital technology in the management, conservation, and development of the local specialty tangerine variety in Lai Dong commune, Phu Tho province."

Mr. Ho Sy Manh, Chairman of the Lai Dong Commune People's Committee, shared: "Lai Dong's specialty tangerines (Muong Kit tangerines, Xuan Son forest tangerines) are a rare and valuable indigenous genetic resource with high economic, nutritional, and cultural value. In recent years, along with the development of the commodity economy and the trend of consuming specialty agricultural products, Lai Dong tangerines have become increasingly popular in the market and are a potential product to develop into a distinctive local commodity."

However, current production practices still reveal many limitations: Seed varieties are not scientifically managed, and genetic resources are at risk of degradation; planting areas are fragmented and scattered; technical processes lack uniformity; and product consumption lacks tools for verification and transparent information.

In particular, Lai Dong tangerines are currently not managed on a digital platform, and digital technology has not been applied in production, conservation, and traceability, leading to low production efficiency and commercial value compared to their potential.

Implementing digital technology in the management, conservation, and development of Lai Dong mandarins is an urgent and strategic requirement. This will help the commune establish a digital database system on varieties, standardized cultivation processes, digitally managed seed orchards, intensive production models applying IoT (Internet of Things), and an electronic traceability system.

Muong Kit tangerines are featured at trade fairs, promoting local agricultural products.

This will both preserve valuable genetic resources and improve the efficiency of management, care, and production, while building a sustainable brand associated with ecotourism development, enhancing economic value, and affirming the position of Lai Dong tangerines in domestic and international markets...

With a total estimated budget of 3.5 billion VND, over a period of 36 months (from January 2026 to December 2028), the scientific project is expected to yield significant and sustainable economic benefits. The application of digital technology in management and care will help reduce production costs (reducing irrigation water by 20-30%, reducing pesticide costs by 15-20%) thanks to a smart irrigation system, pest and disease monitoring, and early warning.

At the same time, the application of digitalization processes has helped increase the average tangerine yield from 12-13 tons/ha to 15-17 tons/ha, resulting in more uniform fruit quality, fewer pests and diseases, and extended shelf life.

With an average selling price of 25,000-30,000 VND/kg, the revenue generated can reach 350-400 million VND/ha/year, an increase of approximately 20-30% compared to traditional production. The application of an electronic traceability system helps enhance the product's reputation, expand its market reach to supermarkets and organic agricultural product stores, and ultimately lead to official export.

Furthermore, the project makes a practical contribution to creating stable jobs for people, increasing income, promoting the development of cooperatives and collective economy, and linking production with ecotourism. The application of digital technology and modern care processes helps minimize the overuse of chemical pesticides, protect soil and water resources, and maintain a sustainable ecosystem.

In addition to increasing productivity, quality, and product value, the application of digital technology in management, conservation, and development will help enhance the competitiveness of Lai Dong tangerines, creating a foundation for developing them into 4-5 star OCOP products. The elevation of this specialty tangerine also means that the Lai Dong forest land will be warmed by lush greenery and abundance...

Cam Ninh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/so-hoa-dac-san-lai-dong-241185.htm