Citrus capital: Busy preparing for the new season.

BAC NINH - Communes and wards such as Phuong Son, Nam Duong, Kien Lao, Tan Son, Chu… are considered the citrus fruit growing capital in Bac Ninh province, due to their large planting areas. From October onwards, farmers in these localities are busy entering the stage of caring for and harvesting their orchards of oranges and pomelos laden with fruit.

Wishing for a bountiful harvest.

After days of heavy rain caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 11, the soil remains moist, and crops are affected, but across the hills, people are still diligently tending their crops, hoping for a high-yield harvest. Visiting Hai Cu residential area in Phuong Son ward these days, one can see the lush green covering the hillsides from afar. Amidst the fruit trees, the sweet tangerine and pomelo orchards of Mrs. Leo Thi Thai's family are entering their "golden" period for fruit care. While quickly pruning and removing overgrown branches to allow the fruit to receive direct sunlight, Mrs. Thai shared: "After the rain, the soil is compacted, so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to break up the crust, supplement with potassium, and spray micronutrients to help the trees recover and nourish the fruit. If we're careless now, the fruit will easily crack and fall off."

Sweet orange orchard in Cong village, Kien Lao commune.

Not only in Phuong Son, but also in other communes such as Luc Ngan, Nam Duong, and Kien Lao, the trees are covered in the green of fruit trees. Immediately after the floodwaters receded, many orchard owners took advantage of the sunny period to spray and wash the leaves, apply organic fertilizer, and eliminate fungal diseases. "Healthy pomelo trees produce beautiful fruit with juicy segments. Farmers now fertilize in a balanced way, limiting nitrogen fertilizer to maintain the natural sweetness," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, owner of a 3-hectare pomelo orchard.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (under the Department of Agriculture and Environment), the province currently has nearly 8,200 hectares of citrus trees, including over 2,700 hectares of oranges and 5,400 hectares of pomelos. Of these, more than 5,300 hectares of oranges and pomelos are grown according to VietGAP standards; in many places, farmers are beginning to apply organic farming standards. At this time, the orange and pomelo trees are in the fruit development stage, with a total estimated yield of 76,000 tons; the peak harvest is expected to start from the end of October and last until the end of February next year. Although the planted area has decreased slightly due to crop restructuring and the impact of storms, this year's orange and pomelo harvest is still expected to achieve high yields thanks to farmers proactively applying biological techniques, water-saving irrigation, and organic farming.

From purely agricultural production to agricultural economics .

Following the storms, farmers are urgently inspecting and tending to their citrus orchards. Mr. Dang Van Tang, Head of the Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub-Department (Department of Agriculture and Environment), stated: "This is the crucial stage for fruit quality development, so proper drainage, orchard sanitation, and balanced NPK fertilization are very important. We are guiding farmers to supplement with foliar fertilizers containing macro- and micronutrients such as Fe, Bo, Ca, and Zn… to increase fruit resistance, improve gloss and flavor, and prevent cracking and fruit drop."

The province currently has nearly 8,200 hectares of citrus trees, including over 2,700 hectares of oranges and 5,400 hectares of pomelos. Of these, more than 5,300 hectares of oranges and pomelos are grown according to VietGAP standards. At this time, the orange and pomelo trees are in the fruit development stage, with a total estimated yield of 76,000 tons; the peak harvest is expected to start from the end of October and last until the end of February next year.

Not only focusing on techniques, the spirit of "maintaining brand reputation through quality" has also strongly influenced orchard owners. Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, from Xe Cu residential area, Chu ward, shared: "This year's pomelo crop is abundant, but I only keep 70% of the clusters with large, uniform fruits. Thanks to using well-rotted manure and potassium fertilizer at the right time, every fruit is firm, with yellow segments and a sweet, refreshing taste when ripe. Although there are still about two months until harvest, traders from other provinces have already contacted me to place orders in advance at a price of 35-40 thousand VND/kg, higher than last year."

One of the "secrets" to the consistently high demand for oranges and pomelos in Bac Ninh, the fruit-growing capital of the region, is that farmers have cleverly combined the development of experiential tourism with the goal of attracting tourists while simultaneously promoting and selling agricultural products. This is why, even when agricultural products from many localities face difficulties in finding markets, citrus-growing regions consistently lead the way in solving the problem of agricultural product consumption.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huu, Director of Thanh Hai Agricultural Production and Tourism Cooperative, said: “We believe that growing oranges and pomelos now is not just about farming to earn extra income, but about preserving the craft and maintaining the reputation of this region. Each carefully cultivated orange and pomelo is the culmination of a whole season of hard work and the belief that the product has a place in the hearts of consumers.” Based on sales experience from previous years, this year the cooperative, led by Mr. Huu, plans to design an open space for tourists to visit, experience, take photos, and hold light refreshments right at the Hoa Qua Son ecological tourist site.

In the former Luc Ngan district, there are nearly 30 community tourism cooperatives. These units operate by organizing experiential tours of fruit orchards combined with visits to religious sites and boat trips on Cam Son and Khuon Than lakes. Thousands of tourists have visited these areas and promise to return to experience fruit picking. According to Mr. Pham Van Du, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuong Son ward, before the peak harvest season for oranges and pomelos (around December), the ward plans to organize or collaborate with other localities in the growing region to hold a fair to promote and introduce the local specialty agricultural products. They also plan to connect with large domestic and international businesses and traders to research and develop facilities for deep processing of oranges and pomelos. Mr. Huu's story, as well as the sharing of local leaders, clearly reflects a new direction: shifting from purely agricultural production to agricultural economics, linking growers with the government and businesses. To expand the product's market reach, build a strong brand, and increase sustainable income for local people.

Text and photos: Mai Toan

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/thu-phu-cay-co-mui-tat-bat-vao-vu-moi-postid429077.bbg