'Hundred-fruit' grapefruit in Nghia Dan

(Baonghean.vn) - Being the first person to bring two-crop grapefruit trees to Nghia Dan, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, Trung Tam hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune, Nghia Dan is also known as a "lucky hand" in growing grapefruit. Each grapefruit tree he grows produces more than 100 fruits, with some trees producing 300 fruits. Currently, 30 households have replicated Mr. Quang's grapefruit variety and have received support from him in growing techniques as well as finding outlets.

Grapefruit of Nguyen Thanh Quang's family, Nghia Hieu, each tree has over 100 fruits

In 2009, after studying and visiting the model of growing pink-fleshed green-skinned grapefruit in Quang Binh, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, Trung Tam hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune, decided to cut down the ineffective old orange plot and lemon plot to plant 150 pink-fleshed, green-skinned grapefruit trees, a Southern variety. This grapefruit variety prefers many types of soil, especially barren soil, is easier to grow and care for than orange trees, has even segments, and sweet fruit. In particular, this grapefruit has two crops a year, the main crop in mid-July and August and the crop at the end of December of the year.

In 2013, after 5 years of planting, the pink-fleshed green-skinned grapefruit gave its first crop of fruit, although the quantity was not much, it still brought in an income of about 300 million VND. In 2014, the family sold about 12 tons of grapefruit, the average price was 30,000 VND/kg, the main crop brought in an income of about 300 million VND, the pre-Tet crop brought in an income of 250-300 million VND.

Mr. Quang is watering grapefruit to prevent drought.

By 2015, grapefruit output increased to 22 tons and this year his family had another fruitful grapefruit season with nearly 100 trees, each tree bearing over 100 fruits, including one tree with nearly 300 fruits. Mr. Quang shared that this year's output is expected to be 1.5 times higher than last year. If prices are stable, his family is estimated to earn about 400-500 million VND.

Sharing the secret to having a lot of fruit from grapefruit, Mr. Tran Thanh Quang said: Growing grapefruit is not difficult because there are few pests and diseases, just pay attention to fertilizing properly so that the fruit is sweet and not too big, because too big fruit will not be delicious and will affect the grapefruit root. With this grapefruit variety, after 2 years of planting, the tree will bear fruit, and from the 4th year onwards it will bear a lot of fruit. In addition to selling fruit, each year his family sells 5,000 to 8,000 seedlings to households in the area.

Seeing the effectiveness of this grapefruit variety, many households in Nghia Dan district as well as neighboring districts have propagated Quang's grapefruit.

Under the grapefruit trees, the family raises pigs, chickens and ducks to increase income.

Mr. Phan Thanh Khuong - Vice President of Nghia Dan Gardening Association said: This is a grapefruit variety with many fruits, combined with care techniques, so it can be said that the grapefruit model of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang's family is the grapefruit model with the most fruits in Nghia Dan at this time. The Association is implementing a program to renovate mixed gardens in the area and grapefruit is a priority crop.

Currently, Mr. Quang is actively providing technical support to households growing this grapefruit variety and linking to find output for the product.

Dinh Thuy-Nghia Dan Temple