STO - From a tree commonly grown for shade, velvet roses have now become a tree that brings stable economic income to many households in Phu Tan commune, Chau Thanh district (Soc Trang).
Stable income from rose trees
These days, we had the opportunity to go to Phu Tan commune and see many tall, green velvet rose trees creating cool shade, many trees are bearing fruit in clusters, swaying as if to greet passersby. Velvet rose fruit is shaped like a peach, covered with a layer of soft velvet hair on the outside .
While harvesting velvet persimmons for traders to buy at home, Mr. Kien Hoa, residing in Phuoc Quoi hamlet, Phu Tan commune, shared: “Velvet persimmons are easy to grow and easy to care for. Currently, my family has more than 20 velvet persimmon trees planted around the house, of which, more than 10 trees are over 10 years old, each crop yields about 60 - 100kg/tree. Every 1 - 2 days, traders come to buy 10 - 30kg at a time, with prices ranging from 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg depending on the type of fruit. With the current price, my family is very happy because we have a stable income.”
Mr. Kien Hoa, Phuoc Quoi Hamlet, Phu Tan Commune, Chau Thanh District ( Soc Trang ) has a stable income from persimmons grown around his house. Photo: THACH PICCH
Rose apple is a woody plant, easy to grow, with large foliage, less susceptible to pests and less deciduous, the fruit is a beautiful dark red when ripe. Depending on soil conditions, people grow it for 4-5 years, the tree will bear fruit and bear fruit every 3 months. Some trees bear fruit all year round. However, there are also some trees that do not bear fruit or flower but do not bear fruit, this phenomenon is often called "male" trees by local people.
Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan, living in Phuoc Thuan hamlet, has been growing rose apple trees for more than 10 years. She happily said: “My family is very happy. From a tree that creates shade around the house, it now bears fruit, contributing to a stable income for the family. Before, every fruit season, my family picked and sold them to visitors. Ripe rose apples have a distinctive aroma, are both powdery and sweet.”
Aiming at the potential of OCOP products
In recent years, rose trees are not only planted to create shade in home yards and temple grounds as before, but some offices, businesses, and industrial parks also choose to plant this tree for decoration, so it has become popular.
Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan, in Phu Tan commune, said: “Seeing that the market has a growing demand for seedlings, my family boldly took seeds to try to grow rose seedlings. After the successful experiment, many people came to order seedlings, so there was not enough supply. Currently, the nursery at my house supplies the market with over 10,000 seedlings each year, with prices depending on the size of the tree. After deducting expenses, we still have an additional income of several tens of millions of VND. Currently, my family not only sells fruits and seedlings at home, but also buys fruits and trees from some neighboring households.”
From this success, many women who grow rose apple trees in Phu Tan commune have gathered to establish a cooperative group to grow seedlings, with 10 members, specializing in purchasing fruits and collecting seeds to grow seedlings, the price of each seedling ranges from 15,000 - 100,000 VND, depending on the number of leaves. The trees are about 1 - 2m tall, the price ranges from 500,000 - 1 million VND/tree. Currently, the number of rose apple trees in Phu Tan commune is quite large, every household with vacant land, more or less, grows rose apple trees. Households that grow the least have a few trees, households that grow the most have dozens of trees.
Rose seedling nurseries were established to meet market demand. Photo: THACH PICCH
Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan shared more: “The velvet rose tree flowers and bears fruit in clusters, each cluster has 3-6 fruits. The tree has a wide canopy, and produces 50-100kg of fruit per tree. When ripe, households often have tools to pick the fruit to avoid it falling to the ground and being damaged. Before eating the velvet rose, it is necessary to scrub off the velvety hairs on the outside, peel off the skin, eat immediately, or put it in the refrigerator to make it more delicious. The velvet rose tree is now very popular, customers buy it to plant in their home gardens for shade and to eat the fruit, which is very good and very clean.”
According to Vice Chairman of Phu Tan Commune People's Committee Pham Van Tien, the locality is also developing velvet rose as a potential OCOP product in the "One Commune One Product" program to contribute to promoting the diversity of crop products. At the same time, finding solutions to make velvet rose a sustainable livelihood for local people.
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