Vinh oranges, a local specialty, are in their peak harvest season.

The orange groves are laden with fruit.

While orange orchards in major districts like Quy Hop, Con Cuong, and Tan Ky are deteriorating and need to be cut down, many orchards in districts like Nghi Loc, Anh Son, Yen Thanh, and Thanh Chuong are still laden with fruit and are ready for harvest.

In Nghi Dien commune, Nghi Loc district, during November, the orange growers are bustling with activity. As they enter the season that provides a year-round harvest, everyone is busy tending to their precious orange trees, the main source of income after a year of investment and care.Cam Xã ĐoàiThese are the most expensive oranges currently available in the central provinces.

Locals say that this orange variety originated in Europe and was brought to the area by the French over 100 years ago. It was originally offered to emperors, hence its other name, "royal tribute orange." Every year, Xã Đoài oranges sell for around 70,000 VND per fruit, and at times have reached 100,000 VND per fruit. The supply of Xã Đoài oranges on the market is limited, while demand is high, so buyers have to order in advance each season to enjoy them. These orange trees have provided the people of Nghi Diên with a stable income for many years.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Phong, Chairman of the Nghi Dien Commune Farmers' Association, said: "Currently, there are dozens of households growing oranges in Nghi Dien commune, with an area of ​​about 30 hectares. The locality has selected 10 orange orchards as model orchards to build standard new rural orchards. These orchards are cared for according to organic standards, without the use of pesticides that affect fruit quality or the environment. Xa Doai oranges are a valuable agricultural product, providing stable income while promoting the specialty and image of Nghi Loc district for many years."

The orange growing area of ​​Bai Phu in Anh Son district also had its first harvest in early November.Vinh orangesSelling to the market. Ms. Le Thi Huong, from Dinh Hop village, Dinh Son commune, is one of the successful orange growers in Bai Phu, the "orange capital." She said that her family's orange orchard covers more than 2 hectares, and all the trees are healthy and yielding more fruit than last year.

According to Ms. Huong, orange trees are extremely finicky, requiring growers to be very patient and follow the correct care procedures. Getting the trees to bear abundant, high-quality fruit is a long and arduous process. Farmers must invest a great deal of effort and dedication to hope for a bountiful harvest. This year, the yield is generally higher than in previous years, potentially reaching 30 tons per hectare. Since the beginning of November, the oranges have turned golden yellow, marking the start of the harvest season.

“This year, Vinh oranges in many areas have deteriorated, resulting in lower yields compared to previous years, and the selling price will also be slightly higher. Last year, the selling price at the orchard was 40,000 - 45,000 VND/kg, and it increased to 50,000 VND/kg closer to the Lunar New Year, but still couldn't meet demand. To protect our Vinh oranges, most of the oranges after harvest are labeled with traceability tags,” shared Ms. Le Thi Huong.

Anh Son District has a long history of citrus fruit cultivation, especially oranges, which were planted in the Bai Phu Agricultural Farm area from the 1970s and 1980s, covering approximately 100 hectares. Recognizing the significant economic benefits of oranges, many farmers have planted them to revive the Bai Phu orange brand. In addition, orange trees have also been planted by families in other localities within the district for a long time and the planted area continues to expand. The Anh Son District People's Committee is implementing the "Project for the Development and Expansion of Fruit Tree Areas Linked to Processing and Consumption of Products in Nghe An Province" for the period 2021-2025. This includes focusing on orange cultivation in the communes of Dinh Son, Cam Son, Hoi Son, Phuc Son, Khai Son, etc.

To date, the total area of ​​orange trees in Anh Son district is 188.3 hectares, of which 160.8 hectares are already producing fruit, and 27.5 hectares are in the development stage. Some localities have relatively large planting areas such as Dinh Son, Phuc Son, Long Son, Khai Son, Tho Son...

The Xã Đoài oranges, grown in Đồng Thành commune (Yên Thành district), have been harvested since the beginning of November. Mr. Trương Văn Biên, the owner of an orange orchard in Đồng Trung hamlet, Đồng Thành commune, said that although pests like fruit flies were more prevalent this year, his experience in pest control and proper care ensured that the yield and quality of the oranges were not affected; the expected yield is higher than last year. By mid-November, some traders had placed orders, but because the oranges were not yet fully ripe, only nearly 500 kg had been harvested.

Mr. Le Van Hong, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Yen Thanh District, said: The entire district currently has 135 hectares of oranges, of which 92 hectares are in the harvesting stage. The largest orange orchards in Yen Thanh District are in Dong Thanh commune, followed by Minh Thanh, Nam Thanh, and Tien Thanh communes… “Yen Thanh oranges developed later, with orchards often planted at the foot of hills, and with proper investment and care, there has been no sign of degradation. The yield and quality of oranges here are guaranteed and are favored by the market,” Mr. Le Van Hong said.

Con Cuong oranges have long been a favorite choice for consumers. This season, many orange orchards are also in the harvest season, supplying customers with the most beautiful and delicious oranges. We recently received good news from the Thien Son Orange Cooperative (Con Cuong): Vietnam Airlines has surveyed and signed a contract with the cooperative to supply oranges as a dessert on international flights starting in December 2023. This is a great opportunity for the specialty oranges of Xa Doai, Nghe An province, to reach even further markets.

Concerns about oranges of unknown origin.

With its delicious and distinctive quality, especially from 2017 to 2019, 31 organizations and individuals in 11 districts were granted Certificates of Ownership of the Geographical Indication for Vinh oranges and had electronic labels affixed.traceabilityTherefore, it should be trusted by the market. However, due to the long-term degradation of some Vinh orange growing areas, the planted area has decreased sharply.

According to data from the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, at its peak, the area of ​​Vinh oranges was nearly 5,000 hectares, but currently, only about 1,800 hectares remain in the province, concentrated in areas such as Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, and Yen Thanh… Many well-cared-for Vinh orange orchards bear abundant fruit, potentially yielding around 25 tons/ha of good quality.

According to our survey, many different types of oranges are currently being sold in markets and stalls in Nghe An province. Observations show that many oranges have a similar appearance to Vinh oranges. Faced with a market flooded with oranges of unknown origin, consumers find it difficult to distinguish genuine Vinh oranges from counterfeit ones. This is a common concern for consumers today, as the area dedicated to Vinh orange cultivation is no longer as extensive as before.

Ms. Thai Thi Hong Lien, Deputy Head of the Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality, stated that Vinh oranges are of good quality and have naturally commanded high prices, which customers have accepted. However, due to a decrease in Vinh orange production while demand remains high, some traders are taking advantage of this by mixing in oranges of unknown origin to sell to customers for profit. While oranges grown elsewhere may also have an attractive appearance, their quality is far inferior to Vinh oranges, resulting in lower prices.

According to Ms. Lien, orange orchards located within the Vinh orange geographical indication area, if they meet the prescribed standards, should affix electronic traceability labels before being sold on the market to reassure consumers and prevent them from buying oranges of unknown origin, while also protecting the product's brand.