Hundreds of grapefruit trees in Con Cuong are at risk of being lost due to flooding.

The prolonged flooding has caused many areas of green-skinned grapefruit trees in Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong) to be soaked in water, causing the skin to soften and gradually rot. Some trees have died; there is a risk of total loss.

Mr. Tran Van Bay's family in Vinh Hoan village, Bong Khe commune has 150 green-skinned grapefruit trees, but in less than a month, the grapefruit garden was flooded 3 times.

Mr. Bay sadly said: "The grapefruit garden is all the capital, sweat and effort of the family poured into this, waiting for the day to harvest the fruit, now it is at risk of being lost due to prolonged rain and flood. The trees were submerged under 2 meters of water for 2 days and 1 night, causing many trees to be at risk of root rot...".

More than half of the green-skinned grapefruit of Mr. Tran Linh Dong's family in Tan Dan village, Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong) has died. Photo: Ba Hau

According to Mr. Bay, this land was previously mainly used for growing vegetables but it was not effective, so his family boldly borrowed money to invest in green-skinned grapefruit. Seeing the trees grow quickly and lushly, they hoped that in a few years their life would be less miserable thanks to the grapefruit garden, but unexpectedly the flood caused the grapefruit garden to be flooded. After the water receded, looking at the grapefruit garden made me feel sorry. Now, there have been several sunny days but the water has not receded completely; the grapefruit skin is starting to soften and rot; watching the trees die gradually without any way to save them.

In the same situation, Mr. Tran Linh Dong's family in Tan Dan village, Bong Khe commune borrowed money from the bank to buy seeds to invest in planting 120 green-skinned grapefruit trees for 4 years, some of which are now bearing fruit. After the recent flood, the family's entire fruit tree area was submerged in floodwaters. Many trees that were submerged in water for a long time have now died.

While excited after so much sweat, effort, and capital invested in the grapefruit garden that initially promised a bumper crop, now the impact of the floods has put Mr. Dong's family at risk of falling into debt.

Not only grapefruit, many fruit tree areas such as guava, apple, custard apple are also at risk of being completely lost due to floods. Photo: Ba Hau

Bong Khe commune has a total area of ​​8 hectares of green-skinned grapefruit, the recent flood affected 50% of the area. In addition, the flood also inundated many fruit trees in the commune such as oranges, custard apples, guavas, jackfruits... Of which, 40% of the total area of ​​nearly 215 hectares of oranges in the area was affected.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang - Chairman of Bong Khe Commune People's Committee, orange and grapefruit trees are "difficult" crops, which will be very difficult to recover after prolonged flooding; many grapefruit areas are at risk of total loss. With orange trees, it usually takes 1 month for the trees to show signs of root rot and leaf loss. After the water recedes, the locality guides people to dig up the roots and treat them with lime and chemicals to partially restore the damage.