Mr. Nguyen Van Phan is delighted to be standing beside his high-yielding wax coconut garden.
Mr. Phan recounted his encounter with waxy coconuts. In 2017, his nephew gave him a waxy coconut sapling. Being keen to try new crops, he planted it in his garden. “Many people who knew I was growing waxy coconuts shook their heads, saying the coconuts wouldn’t survive because they only thrive in light sandy soil, and here the soil is heavily acidic. It was already difficult for the trees to grow, let alone produce wax,” Mr. Phan recalled.
Contrary to many people's predictions, in less than four years, the first waxy coconut tree bore fruit, and surprisingly, about 20-30% of the coconuts were waxy. Seeing that the waxy coconuts had taken root and thrived in this soil, Mr. Phan propagated 30 more trees, planting them around his house. Each year after that, he expanded the area, and now he has about 200 trees planted on his 0.7-hectare plot. Of these, 30 trees have started bearing fruit with a fairly high yield.
According to Mr. Phan, the technique for growing waxy coconuts is similar to other types of coconuts. He propagates the seedlings from the fruit of the first waxy coconut tree. When digging holes or preparing mounds for planting, he often adds organic fertilizer to the base of the tree to ensure it receives adequate nutrition. He closely monitors the tree's growth to promptly prevent and treat coconut beetles and other pests. With good care, each waxy coconut tree can yield more than 100 fruits per year.
Currently, Mr. Phan sells fresh waxy coconuts locally at a trial price of 50,000 VND per fruit, mainly to share with the community. He primarily sells the rest as fresh coconuts, with traders buying them at the farm for around 70,000-80,000 VND per dozen. Dried coconuts fetch a higher price. Mr. Phan also propagates waxy coconuts to meet the needs of several neighboring farms, hoping to create a large enough area for growing waxy coconuts to establish a local brand.
A few months ago, Mr. Nguyen Truong Hong, residing in Hamlet 8, Vinh Vien Commune, ordered over 50 wax coconut seedlings from Mr. Phan for trial planting. “I’ve known about wax coconuts for a long time; they’re a special type of coconut with high economic efficiency. Now that I see Mr. Phan successfully growing them in this area, with a high yield of waxy fruit, I decided to try planting them myself. Initially, I see that the trees are adapting well to the soil and developing well, so I plan to buy more to plant on about 0.6 hectares,” Mr. Hong shared.
On his plot of land planted with waxy coconuts, Mr. Phan also intercrops pineapples and soursop, aiming for short-term gains to support long-term growth. In the ditches, he raises snails and catfish. The empty spaces around his house are utilized to build greenhouses for growing organic vegetables and various root vegetables and fruits. In about two years, all the waxy coconuts in Mr. Phan's garden will be able to bear fruit, providing a significant source of income for his family. His dynamism, willingness to change, and willingness to experiment in farming have made this elderly farmer a pioneering example in the "Farmers Competing in Excellent Production and Business" movement in the locality.
Text and photos: DANG THU
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/trong-dua-sap-tren-dat-phen-mang-lai-ket-qua-bat-ngo-a188809.html
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