Con Cuong oranges ripen early and are affordably priced.

The early-ripening orange varieties include BH oranges, also known as cool oranges, and Xa Doai yellow-fleshed oranges. Compared to previous years, this year's orange yield has decreased due to the impact of typhoons No. 3 and No. 4, but the selling price remains stable at 25,000 VND/kg, the same as last year.

Look at the orange groves in Bong Khe commune that are now ready for harvest. Photo: Minh Hanh

Although the orchard was only opened about a week ago, the orange trees belonging to Ms. Tran Thi Hai's family in Tan Lap village, Bong Khe commune, have already attracted many traders placing orders. In 2013, her family invested in planting 2 hectares of orange trees with over 1,000 trees, all of which are the Van Du and Xa Doai yellow-fleshed orange varieties.

Ms. Hai said: Currently, over 300 Xa Doai orange trees in her family's orchard have begun to yield fruit, selling at 25,000 VND/kg. Besides some local traders, there are also traders from Quy Hop and Anh Son districts who drive directly to the orchard to buy the oranges. It is estimated that this year, the family's 2 hectares of oranges will yield 60 tons, and after deducting expenses, the family will earn nearly 1 billion VND.

Ms. Yen enthusiastically introduces her family's orange orchard. Photo: Minh Hanh

The orange orchard of Ms. Vi Thi Yen's family in Tan Huong village, Yen Khe commune, has 400 trees, of which 200 are planted with the BH orange variety. According to Ms. Yen, the BH variety is not picky about soil, grows quickly, has good disease resistance, high yield, few seeds, is juicy, and is harvested around September. This year, due to continuous rain, a significant amount of oranges fell off the trees, with her family suffering a loss of about 1 ton. However, prices remained stable compared to last year. Ms. Yen also shared that with 200 BH orange trees, this year's estimated yield is about 7 tons. With a selling price of 25,000 VND/kg at the orchard, her family will earn approximately 170 million VND from this early orange harvest.

The BH orange variety, with its few seeds, juiciness, and high yield, is now widely grown in communes throughout Con Cuong district. Photo: Ba Hau

Currently, Con Cuong district has 360 hectares of orange groves, with 120 hectares ready for harvest. Yen Khe commune has the largest orange grove area in the district with 257.96 hectares. Mr. Vi Van Dau, Chairman of the Yen Khe Commune People's Committee, said: The entire commune currently has about 77 hectares of orange groves ready for harvest. In addition to varieties like Van Du and Xa Doai yellow-fleshed oranges, in the last 5-6 years, many households have also planted the BH variety. With the introduction of both early-ripening and late-ripening varieties, the orange harvest season in Con Cuong begins from the end of September of the previous year to February or March of the following year.

To implement the Con Cuong orange brand development project, Con Cuong district has also provided various support mechanisms for households to invest in orange cultivation. According to the local plan, by 2020, over 450 hectares of orange orchards will be developed, mainly in the communes of Yen Khe, Chi Khe, Mon Son, Luc Da, Bong Khe, Don Phuc, Mau Duc, and Thach Ngan. The district has also established an orange farming cooperative and developed a geographical indication to protect the production area and increase income for the people.