Prospects from the velvet rose plant

STO - From a tree commonly planted for shade, the red rose has now become a crop that provides a stable economic income for many households in Phu Tan commune, Chau Thanh district (Soc Trang).

Stable income from rose bushes

These days, when we visited Phu Tan commune, we saw many tall, lush green persimmon trees providing cool shade. Many trees were bearing fruit in clusters, swaying as if to greet passersby. Persimmons are peach-shaped, with a soft, velvety surface .

While harvesting persimmons for traders who come to buy them directly from his home, Mr. Kien Hoa, residing in Phuoc Quoi hamlet, Phu Tan commune, shared: “Persimmon trees are easy to plant and easy to care for. Currently, my family has more than 20 persimmon trees planted around the house, of which more than 10 are over 10 years old, yielding about 60-100kg per tree each season. Every 1-2 days, traders come to buy 10-30kg, at prices ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 VND/kg depending on the type of fruit. With the current price, my family is very happy to have a stable additional income.”

Mr. Kien Hoa, from Phuoc Quoi hamlet, Phu Tan commune, Chau Thanh district ( Soc Trang province), earns a stable income from the persimmons he grows around his house. Photo: THACH PICH

The red rose apple is a woody plant, easy to grow, with a large canopy, resistant to pests and with minimal leaf drop. When ripe, its fruit is a beautiful deep red. Depending on soil conditions, it takes 4-5 years for the tree to bear fruit, and it typically produces fruit every 3 months. Some trees bear fruit year-round. However, some trees do not bear fruit or flower but do not set fruit; this phenomenon is often referred to by locals as a "male" tree.

Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan, residing in Phuoc Thuan hamlet, who has been growing persimmon trees for over 10 years, happily shared: “My family is very pleased. From a tree that provided shade around the house, it now bears fruit, contributing to a stable income for the family. Previously, during each fruiting season, my family would harvest and sell the fruit to passersby. Ripe persimmons have a distinctive aroma, are both powdery and sweet.”

Focusing on the potential of OCOP products.

In recent years, the red velvet rose is no longer just planted for shade in yards or temple grounds as before; some offices, businesses, and industrial zones have also chosen this tree for decoration, making it highly sought after.

Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan, from Phu Tan commune, said: “Seeing the increasing demand for seedlings, my family boldly decided to try growing rose apple seedlings from seeds. After the successful experiment, many people came to order seedlings, so we couldn't supply enough. Currently, my nursery supplies over 10,000 seedlings to the market each year, with prices varying depending on the size of the tree. After deducting expenses, we earn tens of millions of dong in additional income. My family sells fruit and seedlings at home, and also buys fruit and seedlings from some neighboring households.”

Following this success, many women in Phu Tan commune who grew rose apple trees have come together to form a seedling nursery cooperative with 10 members. They specialize in purchasing fruit and collecting seeds for seedling cultivation, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 100,000 VND per seedling, depending on the number of leaves. Trees that are 1-2 meters tall range in price from 500,000 to 1 million VND per tree. Currently, there are quite a lot of rose apple trees in Phu Tan commune ; almost everyone with vacant land, whether a little or a lot, grows them. Some households have at least a few trees, while others have dozens.

Nurseries for growing velvet rose seedlings have emerged to meet market demand. Photo: THACH PICH

Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan further shared: “The velvet persimmon tree flowers and bears fruit in clusters, each cluster containing 3-6 fruits. The tree has a wide canopy, yielding 50-100 kg of fruit per tree. When ripe, households often use tools to hook the fruit to prevent it from falling to the ground and getting damaged. Before eating, the velvet persimmon fruit needs to be scrubbed to remove the soft, velvety outer layer, peeled, and eaten immediately, or refrigerated for an even better taste. Velvet persimmon trees are now very popular; customers buy them to plant in their gardens for shade and to eat the fruit, which is very good and clean.”

According to Pham Van Tien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Tan commune, the locality is currently developing the velvet rose as a potential OCOP product within the "One Commune, One Product" program to further promote the diversity of agricultural products. At the same time, they are seeking solutions to make the velvet rose a sustainable livelihood for local people.

JELLY

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/nong-nghiep/trien-vong-tu-cay-hong-nhung-67557.html