Prospects from new melon varieties

(Quang Ngai Newspaper) - The New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative, Pho Nhon Commune (Duc Pho Town) has effectively implemented a model of growing safe queen melons in greenhouses using high technology.

From a few initial experimental fields in 2022, up to now, the New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative, Pho Nhon Commune has expanded the area of ​​​​Kim Hoang Hau melon to nearly 1 hectare. The entire area has been invested by the Cooperative to build a system of plastic-covered greenhouses and drip irrigation technology.

The model of growing queen melon at the New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative, Pho Nhon Commune (Duc Pho Town) initially brought high economic efficiency.

According to the Cooperative's assessment, growing melons in greenhouses helps protect against rain and sun, prevent insects, and limit the invasion of pests. Therefore, there is no need to use pesticides, and the products are safe for consumers. In addition, growing melons in greenhouses saves space. If melons are grown outdoors, only 1,500 melons can be grown in 1,000m2, while 2,500 melons can be grown in greenhouses, because the melons are supported, saving space.

Agricultural engineer Nguyen Duc Loi, working at the New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative, said that one of the stages that determines whether the melons meet the standards or not is the pollination stage. I used to release bees into the greenhouse to pollinate the flowers. However, the greenhouse is hot, the bees cannot survive, so pollination is done entirely by hand. Flowers bloom only for a certain period of time, if pollination is not even, the melons after setting will be deformed and of poor quality.

“Thanks to careful pollination, the melons grow round and evenly, with each fruit weighing an average of 1.4-1.5kg when harvested. With 1,000m2, about 3 tons of melons can be harvested. The special feature of the Kim Hoang Hau melon variety is that it has a yellow color from the skin to the flesh, a sweet and delicious taste, so the selling price is higher than other types of melons,” Mr. Loi analyzed.

Director of the New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative Le Tan said that currently in the province, only the New Rural High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative grows the Queen melon. To ensure the supply of melons to the market and facilitate output, the Cooperative grows melons in a crop rotation style. Accordingly, on average, the Cooperative will harvest melons once every half month (about 5 - 6 tons). With a wholesale price of about 35,000 VND/kg, each harvest, the Cooperative earns from 150 - 200 million VND. Currently, most of the products made by the Cooperative are supplied by a business that has signed a purchase contract in advance, the remaining products are sold by the Cooperative to stores and fruit stalls in the province.

Mr. Le Tan added that the way to grow and care for the Queen melon is similar to that of melons and watermelons. However, compared to melons with mesh patterns, the Queen melon is easier to grow. The Queen melon is suitable for the land and soil in the sandy soil of Pho Nhon. Therefore, the development of the Queen melon growing area is favorable, helping people change the crop structure and increase income. However, to develop in the long term, local authorities need to have orientation and link to find output for the product.

Article and photos: AN NHIEN

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/kinh-te/202408/trien-vong-tu-giong-dua-moi-2d20fa3/