Sop Cop in the orange harvest

At this time, farmers in Sop Cop commune are entering the orange and tangerine harvest season. Oranges in Sop Cop have their own brand, favored by consumers because of their sweet, aromatic flavor. This is also a crop that brings significant income to farmers here, contributing to promoting the local economy and society.

Farmers in Na Mon village, Sop Cop commune harvest oranges.

Since early November, gardeners and cooperatives in the commune have begun to focus on harvesting oranges. This year's orange crop, due to the impact of the weather, has reduced orange output compared to last year, but consumption has been favorable, with Na Mon oranges selling for around 30,000 - 35,000 VND/kg, sugar oranges for 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg, and tangerines for 35,000 - 40,000 VND/kg.

Quickly cutting the first ripe oranges of the season, Ms. Luong Thi Huong Nong, Na Mon village, Sop Cop commune, said: My family has more than 3,000 m² of local oranges, also known as Na Mon oranges. The orange garden will start harvesting from now until Tet, we usually choose ripe oranges, with peak sweetness to harvest first. This year, the expected output is more than 3 tons of fruit. Thanks to orange trees, the family's life is much better than before. At this time, customers from many places call to order, so the family mobilizes relatives to harvest every day. We just hope that the price of oranges this year will continue to be stable, compensating for the hard work of farmers.

Farmers in Tac Te village, Sop Cop commune harvest oranges.

According to Ms. Nong, orange trees are both an economic crop and a local specialty. She grows them both to sell and for her family to enjoy. Therefore, the quality of the oranges and their safety for health are always the top priorities.

To improve the quality of orange products and ensure product consumption, households in Sop Cop commune have joined together to establish two agricultural cooperatives: Cam Vinh, Tac Te village and Duy Loi agricultural cooperative, Na Mon village. Mr. Lo Van Thuan, Director of Duy Loi agricultural cooperative, said: The cooperative was established in 2016, currently has 16 members, taking care of 15 hectares of oranges, of which 12 hectares meet VietGAP standards. The cooperative's orange trees are cared for using organic fertilizers and pesticides on the permitted list or of organic or biological origin. With this method, the quality of Na Mon oranges has been constantly improved, many customers prefer it, and the consumption market is stable. Currently, cooperative members are focusing on harvesting oranges, with an expected output of over 80 tons of fruit this year.

According to statistics, Sop Cop commune has 135 hectares of oranges and tangerines, of which more than 100 hectares have been harvested, with a yield of about 8-10 tons of fruit/ha, concentrated in the villages of Na Mon, Na Mot, Nghe Ven and Phongg village. People mainly grow local orange varieties and V2 oranges. These are varieties suitable for the local climate and soil conditions. The commune's orange products are mainly consumed through small traders; some households have kept up with the trend of the 4.0 technology era, farmers have also proactively advertised their products on social networking sites and business groups, bringing high economic efficiency. In addition, the commune actively brings orange and tangerine products to trade fairs organized by the province to promote and introduce products.

Farmers in Sop Cop commune harvest oranges.

To expand the market for products and improve the quality of orange products, the commune also cooperates with specialized agencies to guide people in applying science and technology in production; mobilize households to cooperate in production according to VietGAP process. The commune's Economic Department sends cadres to the grassroots level with the management board of the villages to propagate people to choose high-quality orange varieties to replace diseased and old orange trees, ensuring food safety and hygiene during production and harvesting, improving the quality of Sop Cop orange brand.

The orange harvest is expected to last until the Lunar New Year, so at this time, farmers in Sop Cop commune regularly monitor the ripeness of the fruit to choose the appropriate harvest time. In addition, they grasp the weather situation to proactively plan the harvest time as well as take measures to care for the trees after harvest, ensuring the quality of the crops for the following crops.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/nong-nghiep/sop-cop-vao-vu-thu-hoach-cam-goFibomDR.html