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| Nguyen Thi Hoang (third from the left), member of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai City, inspects a cashew orchard at the Golden Cashew Farm (Dong Tam commune). Photo: Binh Nguyen |
I remember that mixed in with the leaves were many leftover cashew nuts. My grandmother meticulously swept up the leaves, picking out the unspoiled nuts, and then burned those leaves to roast them. It was the first time I truly enjoyed eating roasted cashews, because the peach trees in my hometown, which used to have few fruits, now had hundreds of cashew trees laden with fruit...
I quickly adapted to this cashew orchard. I knew by heart which trees had red fruit, which had yellow fruit, which had abundant fruit with small nuts, which had few fruits but large nuts, which were sweet, which were sour… In the early years, my family used bamboo poles to harvest the cashews, but later we couldn't pick them anymore, so we just let the ripe fruit fall, and each day we would go out and pick them up and extract the nuts. And every day, I would transport them on my bicycle to sell at warehouses along National Highway 20. It wasn't until I went to university that my father took over the job of transporting the cashews to sell… That cashew orchard played a significant role in raising me.
Now, after nearly 40 years living in Dong Nai, the family's garden no longer has any cashew trees because the land has been leased for banana cultivation, but the surrounding cashew trees remain lush and green. In the blazing red sun of the eastern basalt region, the cashew trees stand silently like "old soldiers," resilient and unwavering. The cashew leaves are dark green, the cashew flowers are delicate white and pink, and the golden and red cashew fruits hang like wind chimes heralding the season. It's unknown when the cashew tree took root in this land, but now it's no longer just a tree that helps alleviate poverty; it has become a symbol of vibrant life and the aspiration to reach further.
Following the historic merger, Dong Nai has become the cashew capital of the country. With over 176,000 hectares of cashew trees, accounting for more than 50% of the national cashew growing area, this region now holds the number one position in terms of area, production, and processing capacity. Many places such as Phu Rieng, Bu Dang, Bu Gia Map, Dong Phu, Dinh Quan, Tan Phu, Thong Nhat, Trang Bom, Xuan Loc… still maintain the rhythm of the cashew harvest season. Every year, at the beginning of the year, the entire region is covered with flowers and fruits, and bustling with harvesting and trading activities.
Cashew trees here not only yield nuts but also contribute to an entire economic ecosystem. Numerous processing plants have sprung up, creating jobs for thousands of workers, including not only factory workers but also those involved in manual processing and shelling. Dong Nai cashews are exported to many countries, bringing in millions of dollars annually. From raw cashews, people have skillfully processed them into glossy white kernels, roasted and salted cashews, cashew milk, candies, and organic cashew oil extracts…
But behind that vibrancy lie unspoken worries. Many cashew orchards, planted decades ago, are old, with outdated varieties, low yields, and declining productivity. Unpredictable weather, prolonged droughts, or unseasonal rains cause farmers to sigh in despair. Cashew prices fluctuate erratically; even in years with high prices, the worry of crop failure cannot compensate for the losses. Cashew trees teach us a lesson about sustainability: we must rejuvenate the orchards, adopt new varieties, practice organic farming, and apply technology in cultivation… so that the “cashew capital” not only grows but also becomes stronger and greener.
Furthermore, cashew orchards have traditionally only harvested nuts, with almost all the fruit going to waste, except for a small amount consumed fresh. In some countries, besides eating the fruit fresh, it can be juiced for beverages, used to make wine, or dried to make jam… Solving this problem will create another ecosystem: techniques for harvesting, preserving, transporting, processing, and exporting… And of course, there will also be cultivation and gardening techniques to ensure the best possible harvest; and the use of by-products from fruit processing as raw materials for other activities.
Every cashew season, the countryside is not only bustling with cashew nuts and fruits but also vibrant with the Golden Cashew Festival. In this new land of Dong Nai, the cashew tree is not just a crop but also a story of resilient vitality and aspiration for prosperity.
One day, standing amidst a vast cashew orchard, the dry, crisp sunlight mingling with the pungent scent of cashew blossoms, I saw the cashew tree as a philosophy of life: diligently taking root in barren soil, patiently waiting for the fruit season, and giving away its most precious nuts. Dong Nai's cashew capital is not just about the number of hectares or tons of nuts, but the most beautiful image of the region's vitality – both serene and vibrant, both simple and reaching for global recognition.
Nguyen Minh Hai
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202606/thu-phu-dieu-cua-dat-ong-nai-7262fc5/
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