Nghia Dan: People rush to plant guava trees, raising concerns about market demand.

(Baonghean.vn) - CIn just the last 3 years, it has...Nearly 100 hectares of guava trees have been planted without proper planning in Nghia Dan district (Nghe An province). If this unplanned development continues, there is a risk of a guava surplus.

Currently, guava growers in Nghia Dan district are entering the harvest season. According to guava orchard owners, the guavas are of good quality, beautiful in appearance, and are being purchased by traders right from the orchards.

The family of Mr. Dang Ngoc Chau in Son Nam hamlet, Nghia Son commune, Nghia Dan district, harvests guava. Photo: Quang An

Mr. Dang Ngoc Chau, residing in Son Nam hamlet, Nghia Son commune, Nghia Dan district, said: "My family has 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of land planted with guava trees since 2013. I chose the guava variety from the Central Institute of Crop Science. After three years of harvesting, I've found that this variety produces fruit year-round, but it's best in the summer."

It is estimated that Mr. Chau's 4 sao (approximately 1,200 square meters) of guava trees yield over 10 tons of fruit. At its peak, traders bought it for 25,000 VND/kg, but currently, although the quality is good, it's peak season, so the price has dropped to only 12,000 VND/kg. Traders from many places come to buy directly from the orchard every day, so he has a steady income.

Nghia Dan guavas are beautiful and delicious, making them popular with traders who buy them in large quantities. Photo: Q.An

However, Mr. Chau couldn't help but worry: With the guava growing area expanding so rapidly in recent years, he feared that guavas would be difficult to sell in the coming years because "supply would exceed demand".

Currently, Nghia Son commune has more than 100 other families growing guava trees on an area of ​​about 50 hectares. However, all of them are growing them spontaneously, with many families cutting down other crops to switch to growing guava.

Mr. Le Trung Kien, Vice Chairman of the Nghia Lam Commune People's Committee, expressed his concern: The commune currently has over 30 hectares of guava trees, providing a relatively high income. Although it is a key crop, given the unpredictable market conditions, the commune does not recommend farmers increase the planted area. Instead, they should focus on selecting good seedlings suitable for the soil to ensure optimal guava growth and improve fruit quality. They should avoid indiscriminate expansion that could lead to oversupply and unsaleable produce.

Well-maintained guava orchards yield high incomes in Nghia Son commune, Nghia Dan district. Photo: X.Hoang

According to data from the Nghia Dan District Department of Agriculture, there are currently nearly 100 hectares of guava orchards in the district, concentrated mainly in the communes of Nghia Lam, Nghia Son, and Nghia Yen. On average, one hectare of guava orchards in Nghia Dan yields 25 tons of fruit, worth nearly 400 million VND.

However, the guava orchards that farmers have planted in recent times are spontaneous, and the locality has not yet developed a plan. Although this land is managed by families, farmers need to carefully consider their options and avoid planting too many guava trees at once, which could lead to unsold produce when demand exceeds market needs.

X.Hoang – Quang An