New prospects for macadamia trees in Yen Bai.

Initially a spontaneous, experimental crop, macadamia has, over the years, proven its suitability to the soil and climate of many localities throughout the province. The trees grow well, bear abundant fruit, and have become a promising crop for poverty alleviation and gradually enriching farmers.

Yen Bai province places high hopes on macadamia trees.

Yen Bai expands macadamia nut cultivation area.

Prospects for planting and developing macadamia trees in Yen Bai.

Although macadamia trees were introduced to the province in 2011, it was only from 2020 onwards that they became widespread in many localities, with Van Chan district having the largest macadamia growing area in the entire province. This area has increased very rapidly since the district implemented the Macadamia Intercropping with Tea Project for the period 2020-2023 in 5 communes and towns in the district, including Nam Bung, Gia Hoi, Dong Khe, Lien Son Agricultural Farm town and Son Thinh town, with a support of 50,000 VND/seedling.

The district also implemented training, transferred scientific and technical knowledge, and directly guided and supported participating households; controlled seed sources to ensure clear origin and quality according to technical procedures; reviewed areas that met standards, and inspected each stage from land preparation, tillage, and hole digging… As a result, not only was the survival rate high, but the people also mastered the techniques of planting and caring for this new crop.

According to macadamia growers in Van Chan, intercropping macadamia trees with tea plants has yielded double benefits. Besides increasing shade for the tea plants and contributing to higher tea yields, it also enhances economic efficiency per unit of land, saving costs and labor. Macadamia trees are also well-suited to the local soil and climate conditions, and can be intercropped with tea plants or grown as a monoculture on less productive forest land.

To date, the entire district has developed a macadamia nut growing area of ​​up to 550 hectares, of which some areas have already yielded their first harvests, which are highly regarded for their quality and average selling price of around 40,000 VND/kg, promising to bring good income to the people.

In 2025, Van Chan district will support people in planting approximately 20 hectares of macadamia trees intercropped with tea, providing partial support for seedlings and technical assistance. At the same time, the district is also urgently establishing a supply chain for macadamia products, ensuring that people do not have to worry about finding markets for their produce on their own.

Macadamia trees have proven their suitability for Yen Bai province, not only being successfully grown in Van Chan, Tran Yen, and Luc Yen districts, but also in mountainous areas with harsh climates and limited farming techniques like Mu Cang Chai.

Mr. Vang A Tru, from Na De Thang village, Khao Mang commune, said: "My family has planted nearly 80 macadamia trees on our corn-growing land for the past 5 years. The macadamia trees are growing and developing quite well, requiring little care, just a few things to keep in mind for each growth stage. Last year, we harvested the first fruits, but the yield was very low, so we couldn't sell them. We still plant and harvest corn on that same area every year for livestock feed. In a few years, when the yield is more stable, we hope the province and district will pay attention and help us connect with markets for our products.”

In 2024, the province's macadamia nut production reached approximately 150 tons and is increasing annually as the trees enter a stable growth phase; however, the product is currently mainly consumed by local people. In Van Chan district, the Tan Thinh Agricultural Cooperative has recently been established, participating in processing macadamia products, with two products achieving OCOP 3-star certification.

Mr. Ngo Duy Hiep, Director of Tan Thinh Agricultural Cooperative, said: "Since 2022, we have researched formulas and invested in modern equipment and machinery, successfully processing several products from macadamia nuts such as whole nuts, kernels, and nutritious macadamia nut milk under the brand 'Macadamia Happiness'. In 2024, we purchased over 6 tons of macadamia nuts from farmers in Luc Yen district and expect to purchase over 20 tons from farmers in Van Chan district in 2025. In the future, we will continue to research and invest in other technologies to produce products with higher economic value, serving the diverse needs of customers, such as macadamia nut-filled confectionery, nutritious nut bars, macadamia oil… aiming to become a leading unit in purchasing and processing high-quality nutritious macadamia nut products in the Northern region."

With ever-increasing production, Yen Bai province will continue to create favorable conditions for businesses to build a macadamia nut processing plant with a capacity of 500 tons per year. At that time, the high-value macadamia tree will certainly become a crop that helps alleviate poverty and enrich farmers in Yen Bai.

Hoai Anh

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/348614/Trien-vong-moi-cho-cay-mac-ca-o-Yen-Bai.aspx