Growing Thai custard apples yields high economic returns.

Amidst the difficulties faced by many fruit crops such as jackfruit, mango, and durian, with plummeting prices and limited market access, a young farmer in An Huu commune has chosen a different path with Thai custard apple. Through research and a determination to change, Nguyen Le Minh Vuong (born in 1990, residing in Binh hamlet, An Huu commune) has successfully developed a model for growing Thai custard apples (also known as Thai soursop), a relatively new variety in the area but one that yields outstanding economic returns, generating hundreds of millions of dong in income annually.

After harvesting, Thai custard apples are sorted before being purchased by traders.

Previously, on his family's 2 acres of land, Mr. Vuong used to grow Ido longan – a variety once expected to have high economic value. However, after many years of cultivation, fluctuating prices and unstable income led him to realize that growing longan was no longer suitable.

During a chance visit to Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province (before the province was merged), he noticed that many people there had switched to growing Thai custard apples. He observed that many households there achieved high economic efficiency, the product was easy to sell, and prices were stable, so he began to research and learn from them.

“When I started planting, almost no one in An Huu commune was growing Thai custard apples. The people here were still familiar with traditional crops such as guava, jackfruit, mango, durian... I decided to be a pioneer, even though I knew there were many risks,” Mr. Vuong shared.

In 2021, he officially converted his entire land area to growing Thai custard apples. This fruit variety is popular because of its large, round fruit, thin skin, sweet flesh, and few seeds, making it suitable for consumers both domestically and internationally.

Mr. Vuong's family's Thai custard apple orchard.

According to Mr. Vuong, although Thai custard apple trees are easy to grow and care for, the most important stage is still the flowering and fruiting period. Unlike traditional Vietnamese custard apples, Thai custard apples require manual pollination to ensure a high fruit set rate.

During this process, growers need to combine the use of fertilizers with the right nutrients, applied every 15 days, to ensure stable plant growth and prevent fungal diseases and mealybugs. It takes approximately 18 months from planting to fruiting.

After that, two harvests can be obtained each year, depending on how the crop is managed. If the crop is cultivated at the right time and flowers bloom around the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, it will be ready for harvest during the Lunar New Year, at which time the selling price can be much higher than usual.

The flowering process includes: Creating buds 15 days in advance, then pruning branches from the 15th to the 25th of July in the lunar calendar. Approximately 1 month and 5 days after pruning, the trees will flower simultaneously. The time from flowering to fruit bagging is about 3 months, with each fruit carefully wrapped in white foam and a plastic bag to protect against pests and maintain its attractive appearance.

From flowering to harvest takes approximately 4.5 to 5 months. The average weight of the fruit ranges from 300 grams to 1 kilogram. To ensure fruit quality, growers need to select fruits according to the tree's vigor, pruning away excess fruit so the tree can focus its energy on nourishing the remaining ones.

Mr. Vuong shared that in the first harvest, due to lack of experience, the fruit setting rate was low and the fruit was not attractive, so it didn't sell at a high price. However, after accumulating experience and improving techniques, in subsequent seasons, his Thai custard apple orchard produced large, round, and uniform fruits that were positively received by the market.

Currently, with 2 plots of land, he harvests about 4 tons of fruit each year, equivalent to 2 tons per plot per year. The selling price ranges from 30,000 to 55,000 VND/kg, depending on the season. After deducting the costs of fertilizer and labor, his family earns a profit of about 150-200 million VND per year.

Currently, his family is harvesting, and although the average selling price is only 32,000 VND/kg, lower than last year, thanks to stable yields and high-quality fruit, he still earns a profit of about 100 million VND. This is a very promising figure compared to many other fruit farming models that are facing difficulties. Besides providing a stable income, growing Thai custard apples also helps Mr. Vuong save costs by mainly using organic fertilizers, limiting chemical pesticides, and protecting his own health and that of consumers.

Although the model has proven effective, currently in An Huu commune, the number of households growing Thai custard apples is still quite small. According to Mr. Vuong, in the context of plummeting fruit prices, people should boldly switch crops. With the experience he has accumulated over the past four years, he is ready to share techniques and guide the cultivation process to anyone who wants to try growing Thai custard apples.

“This model is completely scalable. Thai custard apple is a variety suitable for the climate and soil conditions of many areas in Dong Thap province. In addition, Thai custard apples are popular in the market because of their sweet taste, attractive appearance, and few seeds. I am planning to expand the planting area in the near future to increase income and improve my family's living standards,” said Mr. Vuong.

Mr. Vuong's model is clear evidence that if farmers are willing to learn, apply new techniques, and dare to innovate their thinking, even a small garden can generate stable income and lead to legitimate wealth. In the context of the agricultural sector promoting crop transformation towards market adaptation and climate change, Thai custard apple could be a potential choice not only for An Huu commune, but also for many areas in Dong Thap province.

HỮU THÔNG

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202507/trong-na-thai-mang-lai-hieu-qua-kinh-te-cao-1046878/