High economic efficiency crops
In recent years, in Lac Thuy district, many farmers have been quick to change to suitable farming models, increasing their family income and contributing to the local socio-economic development. A typical example is the custard apple growing model in Dong Tam commune, with the largest area concentrated in Dong Bong village.
Due to favorable climate and soil, custard apples in Dong Bong village, Dong Tam commune, Lac Thuy district ( Hoa Binh ) have long been known to many people for their large, even fruit, chewy flesh, sweet taste, and unique deliciousness that cannot be found anywhere else.
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| Dong Bong area has ideal soil and climate for growing custard apples according to VietGAP standards with 3-star OCOP custard apple products. (Photo: Kim Chien) |
Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc, Chairman of Dong Tam Commune People's Committee said: With the advantage of climate and soil suitable for growing custard apple, in recent years, local people have boldly converted ineffective crops to growing custard apple varieties with high economic efficiency.
“Implementing the resolution of the Commune Party Committee on transforming the crop structure, increasing income, and developing the economy, in recent times, the commune has replaced ineffective crops with custard apple varieties. After a period of production, custard apple trees are proving to be one of the main crops, suitable for soil and climate conditions, contributing to hunger eradication, poverty reduction, increasing income for people, and making an important contribution to the socio-economic development of the locality" - Chairman Nguyen Van Ngoc said.
We visited the custard apple garden located halfway up Dong Bong slope of Mr. Pham Van Hung's family, when he and his wife, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien, were busy taking care of the 500 custard apple garden that was in the fruiting season. The custard apple garden of his family brings in about 200 million VND a year. Mr. Hung said that growing custard apples is usually hard work for 3 months of the year, that is the first month of the season, the middle month and the last month of the season, when you have to take care of it continuously until the fruit is harvested. The rest of the time, he and his wife find extra work.
After converting the crop structure to growing custard apples, the garden of more than 2 hectares of Mr. Dao Van Hung, Dong Bong village with about 1,000 trees has produced sweet fruit. Thanks to proper care, there are custard apple trees that yield 40-50 kg of fruit per crop, including 2 crops, the garden can yield 18-20 tons of custard apples per year, thereby bringing the family an income of nearly 400 million VND per year.
“Since switching to growing custard apples, my family’s economy has become increasingly prosperous. With an average selling price of 20,000 - 25,000 VND/kg, sometimes up to 50,000 VND/kg, and a stable market, custard apple trees are the main source of income for my family," Mr. Hung shared.
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At this time, custard apple growers in Dong Bong are busy taking care of custard apple areas that are in fruiting season. (Photo: Kim Chien) |
Talking about custard apple care techniques, Mr. Hung said: "With suitable climate and soil conditions, custard apple trees in Dong Bong grow quite well. Growing custard apples does not require complicated techniques, but requires continuous care at times. In addition to adding fertilizer and water, it is necessary to cut and prune branches regularly so that the custard apples produce large fruits and set fruit at the right time. Pruning leaves to open up the tree canopy about 1 month before flowering will avoid many types of pests and diseases. During the production process, we regularly participate in training courses on custard apple growing techniques organized by the locality to improve our skills, helping the custard apple trees to produce higher and higher yields."
According to statistics of Dong Tam commune, currently the whole locality has nearly 50 hectares of custard apples with more than 50 households growing them, mainly in Dong Bong village, small households grow a few thousand square meters, large households grow 1-2 hectares with thousands of custard apple trees. This is not a new crop in the commune, however, in recent years, market demand and custard apple prices have both increased, the local custard apple brand has gradually become known to many people.
Implementing the project "One commune one OCOP product", Dong Tam commune has developed a plan and implemented the registration of the local specialty product "Dong Tam custard apple". The development of OCOP products aims to restructure agricultural production, build and create high-quality products associated with local strengths, enhance competitiveness in the market, and at the same time solve jobs and increase income for people. More importantly, the registration of OCOP products aims to gradually change people's thinking and awareness in farming, production, and improve the efficiency of agricultural land use.
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The custard apples in Dong Bong are "growing like crazy" and are promising a bumper crop for garden owners. (Photo: Kim Chien) |
Off-season custard apple production increases income
Realizing the obvious economic efficiency of custard apple trees, recently many people in Dong Bong village have continued to promote the application of science and technology in production, so in addition to the main crop, people here also have income from the second custard apple crop, also known as the off-season custard apple, and thanks to this second crop, the income of many households has increased significantly, custard apple trees continue to affirm their position as the main source of income for many local people, and more importantly, overcome the situation of "good harvest, low price" in agricultural production.
Sharing about his family's off-season custard apple garden this year, Mr. Tran Van Ha, in Dong Bong village, expects to earn an additional 130 million VND. Growing custard apples on sloping hills for more than 10 years, this year is the 6th year his family has applied technical measures to make the custard apple trees bear fruit off-season. During the off-season custard apple season, Mr. Ha's family almost does not have to sell their products, but traders line up to come to their homes to buy them.
According to the analysis of an officer of the Department of Agriculture of Lac Thuy district, the soil in this Dong Bong area is rocky, clean and cool, so it is suitable for custard apple trees to grow. The second custard apple crop of the year usually has little rain, so the fruit is harvested from the trunk, so the fruit is large, of guaranteed quality, and sweeter than the main custard apple crop.
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| Na dai in Dong Bong is increasingly affirming its brand as a 3-star OCOP product. (Photo: Kim Chien) |
Talking about off-season custard apples, Chairman of Dong Tam Commune Nguyen Van Ngoc emphasized: To make custard apples flower off-season, people must fertilize 3 times a year, cut off some main-season flowers, prune branches, and strip leaves to stimulate the tree to sprout new buds and flower off-season. When flower buds bloom, they must be pollinated manually to increase the fruit set rate, while helping the custard apples to be large, round, even, and beautiful. Thanks to the application of science and technology, grown according to VietGAP standards, Dong Tam custard apples are always of good quality, fragrant, sweet, and have no pesticide residues, affirming the brand of 3-star OCOP products.
“In the coming time, we will continue to encourage people to promote the application of experience and scientific knowledge to take care of custard apple trees to ensure sustainability and product quality, and expand the custard apple growing area in areas with suitable soil conditions. At the same time, we will advise superiors to build typical custard apple growing models, serving as a model to replicate the model in a number of suitable areas in the district. We will continue to pay attention to the issue of chain production, ensuring product consumption output, bringing stable income to people, contributing to promoting the local socio-economy” – Commune Chairman Nguyen Van Ngoc added./.
Source: https://dangcongsan.vn/kinh-te/ve-dong-bong-tham-nhung-vuon-na-ocop-665647.html
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