Visiting the "kingdom" of pink plums.
Amidst the bustling atmosphere leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the farming career of Mr. Tran Van Phuc (Cu Lao Dung commune, Can Tho city), who has been awarded the title of "Excellent Farmer" for 10 consecutive years, takes on a legendary quality. He is the one who brought the San Tien pink plum variety to the national market and for export. Mr. Phuc's journey not only provides a sustainable livelihood for his family and community but also contributes to affirming the vitality of a distinctive agricultural sector, opening up a promising future for this fertile island region.
After years of research, Mr. Phuc and his colleagues at San Tien Co., Ltd. (formerly Cu Lao Dung Smart Agriculture Cooperative) successfully bred the San Tien pink plum variety in 2021. With its beautiful color, crisp sweetness, and cultivation according to VietGAP/organic standards, this fruit quickly conquered demanding markets. Since 2022, San Tien pink plums have been distributed through clean food chains/systems in Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, and exported to international markets. With a selling price of 150,000-253,000 VND/kg (if the sugar content reaches 15%), the company earns approximately 40 billion VND annually.
Mr. Tran Van Phuc, a farmer from Cu Lao Dung commune, Can Tho city, is the creator of the San Tien pink plum variety.
“The San Tien Pink Plum brand has been protected by intellectual property rights, certified with a 3-star OCOP rating, and granted two planting area codes. The company has developed additional processed plum products, such as dried plums, plum juice, San Tien Pink Plum wine, and plum blossom tea. Simultaneously, I am promoting the development of an eco-tourism model focusing on specialty fruit orchards. This approach not only enhances the value of agricultural products but also creates stable jobs for 50-80 local workers with incomes ranging from 8-12 million VND per month,” Mr. Tran Van Phuc shared.
Over 40 years of dedication to the land and the "sweet fruits" of durian.
If the story of Mr. Tran Van Phuc represents the will to rise above poverty through agriculture and help each other develop economically, then the journey to wealth of Mr. Le Van Sau (commonly known as Sau Bo) in Tan Binh commune, Can Tho city, proves that the determination to stay rooted in the land and orchards, along with innovation, is the path to success. Mr. Le Van Sau has been recognized as an outstanding farmer at various levels, has received two Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, has been awarded the Third Class Labor Medal, and the title of Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer.
The recognition that Mr. Le Van Sau has achieved is a great success and something to be very proud of for many farmers. Yet, he shared his 40-year journey from starting his farming career to being recognized as an Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer in a very brief and simple way.
Mr. Le Van Sau is always exploring and learning how to get rich from durian cultivation.
Over 40 years ago, he and his wife started their lives with 5 acres of rice paddies, facing hardship. After numerous attempts to diversify crops, accumulate capital, and expand their cultivated area, he chose to focus on durian cultivation. Starting with a 1-hectare trial plot, and recognizing the high economic efficiency of durian, Mr. Le Van Sau continued to expand his acreage and persistently learned techniques from various localities, including consulting with experts from Can Tho University to overcome fruit hardening and pest problems, and perfect his orchard care techniques.
“Thanks to implementing the VietGAP process, prioritizing the use of organic fertilizers to ensure the fruit meets export standards, and providing care according to the needs of each growth stage, my Ri6 and Monthong durian orchard of over 5 hectares consistently achieves a stable yield of about 15 tons of fruit per hectare, bringing in an income of about 5 billion VND per year,” said Mr. Le Van Sau.
Success comes from systems thinking.
Not only in the field of crop cultivation, farmers in Can Tho City have also achieved great success in the field of aquaculture, a prime example being the business model of Mr. Ly Van Bon (commonly known as Bay Bon) residing in Binh Thuy ward, with a model of fish farming, processing commercial products and exploiting tourism services that generates an income of over 10 billion VND/year.
In 2000, Mr. Bay Bon decided to leave his old job to switch to raising catfish and tilapia, but he faced many difficulties and suffered heavy losses. Undeterred, in 2012, he continued his research and experimentation, raising about 500,000 spotted snakehead fish (also known as spotted catfish), combining breeding, processing snakehead fish products, and developing community tourism. Success came his way; he not only paid off his old debts but also remained involved in the business to this day.
Mr. Ly Van Bon's fish farm attracts many tourists who come to visit and experience it.
On a raft area of approximately 10,000m², Mr. Bay Bon not only focuses on the main species, snakehead fish, but also raises spotted catfish, giant catfish, and flagtail catfish... to showcase the diversity of aquatic products in the Mekong Delta. He also collaborates with Can Tho University to apply science to artificial breeding, contributing to the conservation of native fish species facing depletion. This dedicated model not only creates a unique mark for tourism in the Mekong Delta but also provides employment for nearly 20 local workers. On average, the facility supplies the market with 500kg to over 1 ton of processed snakehead fish daily, affirming its position as a sustainable agricultural brand.
"The road ahead is always full of challenges, but you must get up wherever you fall. Any profession can lead to wealth if you know how to choose the right path. Nowadays, farmers must proactively learn, master technology, and closely cooperate with research institutes and universities for sustainable development," Mr. Bay Bon shared.
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On the journey of innovation in Can Tho's agricultural sector, exemplary farmers like Mr. Tran Van Phuc, Mr. Le Van Sau, and Mr. Ly Van Bon are symbols of modern thinking, daring to think and act in the new era. It is these farmers who are sowing hope and striving daily towards a sustainable and distinctive agricultural sector in the spring of 2026 – a spring of prosperity.
TP Cần Thơ đã thành lập 33 câu lạc bộ “Nông dân tỉ phú tiêu biểu” và 78 câu lạc bộ “Nông dân sản xuất - kinh doanh giỏi”. Các câu lạc bộ được duy trì, phát triển, trở thành nơi tập hợp, chia sẻ kinh nghiệm, nhân rộng các mô hình sản xuất có hiệu quả kinh tế cao.
Text and photos: MONG TOAN
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-ti-phu-chan-dat-and-those-prosperous-springs-a198840.html
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