Nghi Loc: Bright red ripe dragon fruit attracts customers

(Baonghean.vn) - With clear origin, sweet quality, attractive color, dragon fruit trees grown in Nghi Phuong commune, Nghi Loc are being sought after by customers to buy at the garden.

Visiting the dragon fruit garden of Mr. Nguyen Van Dung in Hamlet 9, Nghi Phuong Commune (Nghi Loc) these days, we were extremely impressed by the 3 hectares of dragon fruit in the ripening season. Mr. Dung excitedly said: "This year, despite the harsh weather, the dragon fruit bloomed and bore fruit one crop earlier than usual.

In this first harvest, I have collected nearly 2 tons of fruit, and there will be 5 or 6 more harvests. If the price remains stable as it is now (from 25,000 to 30,000 VND/kg), I expect to earn over 200 million VND in 2017.

Dragon fruit garden of Mr. Dung's family in Nghi Phuong. Photo: Thu Hien

Talking about the process of building the model, Mr. Dung recalled: After eliminating the manual brick kiln, he switched to growing dragon fruit. With an area of ​​3 hectares, he arranged to plant 1,200 trees. To grow dragon fruit, he started building concrete pillars, each pillar was 2.3m high, the part above the ground was 1.6m high for the trees to grow and spread branches around. The distance between rows and trees was 2.5m, ensuring that the trees received enough nutrients and sunlight.

Harvesting dragon fruit. Photo: Thu Hien.

Dragon fruit is a drought-resistant crop, requires adequate light, has few pests, and does not require much care. However, if there is a lack of water, productivity will decrease, so he drilled a well in the garden to water the plants. He fertilized the plants once a year. Each dragon fruit tree yields about 15-20 kg of fruit, each crop yielding 5-6 harvests, each 20 days apart.

Harvest time lasts from June to the end of November. The difference is that a dragon fruit tree planted once can be harvested for 15-20 years, after which a new tree must be planted.

Traders buy dragon fruit right in the field. Photo: Thu Hien

Although the dragon fruit grown in Nghi Phuong's fields is not as big as the dragon fruit imported from the South, customers rate it as having a sweet, cool taste, attractive color, and clear origin, so customers from everywhere come to buy it at the garden.

Mr. Dau Xuan Vinh - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Phuong Commune (Nghi Loc) commented: "The dragon fruit model is very suitable for the local soil. This crop not only helps people increase economic efficiency but it is also a crop that adapts to climate change, so I organized for members to visit the model to learn from experience."

Thu Hien

Nghi Loc Station