Vinh An in orange season

Orchard owners in Vinh An are busy harvesting oranges.

Visiting Vinh An these days, you can truly feel the hustle and bustle as the orange orchards are ripe, long lines of trucks are parked along the main concrete road leading to the center of the village – where the largest, highest-yielding orange orchards are located, waiting to transport the oranges for sale; the sound of motorbikes carrying oranges to the collection point; the calls of the "orange porters" – those who specialize in harvesting oranges for hire; the laughter and discussions about the yield, production, and quality of the oranges among the orchard owners…

Ms. Do Thi Liep's family orange orchard is one of the largest in Vinh An village, with over 1,000 orange trees (approximately 2.2 hectares) and an estimated yield of nearly 40 tons. Every year, the orchard is highly regarded by traders for its high-quality fruit and attractive appearance. This is because all the trees are 10-13 years old; they are healthy, have wide canopies, and produce uniform, beautifully colored fruit. Currently, the orchard has sold over 20 tons, with traders paying 14,600 VND/kg for the fruit purchased directly from the orchard.

Ms. Liep shared: "Although the weather was unfavorable this year, and the yield decreased by about 20% compared to last year, the price is still high, so the orchard is expected to still yield about 600 million VND, and after deducting production costs, there will still be a 50% profit. Previously, the orchard only grew palm trees and corn and rice, and the annual income was only 1/10 compared to growing oranges."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Do's family owns 400 orange trees (nearly 1 hectare), with an expected yield of about 15 tons. Although the oranges have started to ripen, the family is not yet ready to sell, waiting for prices to rise. "Compared to previous years, my family's orange orchard has yielded nearly 10 tons less this year, while fertilizer costs have increased significantly. Therefore, I'm not ready to sell yet, waiting for prices to rise further, even though I know the risks are high. Just one acid rain could cause the oranges to fall, resulting in heavy losses, but selling at this time wouldn't yield much profit," Mr. Nguyen Thanh Do shared.

The head of Vinh An village, Dang Thi Mung, shared: "Currently, about 50% of the orange orchards in the village have been harvested. Out of 186 households in the village, over 80% grow oranges. For about 20 years, since orange trees began to be widely planted in Vinh An, despite ups and downs, it can be affirmed that thanks to orange cultivation, the lives of the people have gradually changed. The entire village now only has 10 poor households."

We left Vinh An just as trucks loaded with golden oranges began heading to wholesale markets throughout the northern provinces and cities. Although this year's orange harvest was affected by natural disasters, resulting in low yields, orange trees remain the main crop here, helping to improve the lives of the local people. The people of Vinh An continue to care for and cultivate golden oranges, hoping that each season will bring even greater value.

Article and photos: Duy Tuan

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202512/vinh-an-vao-vu-cam-27515a3/