Nghia Dan apple growers lose everything because of the weather

(Baonghean.vn) - Apple is a new crop in Nghia Dan in the last 3 years, each year giving people an income of 70 - 100 million VND/ha. However, this year due to harsh weather, apple growers are left empty-handed.

Apple trees are grown in many communes such as Nghia Hieu, Nghia Lam, Nghia Binh, Nghia Son...; there are mainly two types: Vietnamese apples (sour apples) and Dai apples (Thai and Taiwanese varieties). The main harvest season is from December to February of the solar calendar.

According to the agricultural calendar, this is the time to start harvesting apples, but this year apple growers in Nghia Dan have lost their crop, from 30-40 million VND/ha to now only 4 million VND.

Mr. Le Xuan Trang in Tan Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune expected to earn nearly 100 million VND from his apple orchard, but this year he did not earn a single penny. Photo: Dinh Thuy

We went to the apple orchard of Mr. Le Xuan Trang's family in Tan Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune. Looking at the lush green apple orchard, carefully fertilized and supported, we could see the effort the orchard owner put in.

Last year, Mr. Trang planted 100 apple trees, after deducting expenses, the family earned nearly 40 million VND; he continued to invest in planting 100 more Dai apple trees, but this year he did not earn a single dong. The reason is that in July and August, when the apple trees bloomed, it rained continuously, the flowers were poorly pollinated, so there were few fruits, and when it rained a lot, the fruits got fungus, had black spots, and then rotted and fell off.

"This year my family invested more than 30 million VND in the apple garden, but the 200 trees only yielded about 10 kg; while in previous crops I harvested at least 3 tons of fruit," said Mr. Le Xuan Trang.

This year, due to heavy rain, the fruit got fungus, black spots and rotted and fell off. Photo: Dinh Thuy

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, also from Nghia Hieu commune, has been growing 200 apple trees for 3 years. Ms. Huyen said that this year the flowers bloomed after the storm, and her family was happy because they “escaped” the situation of flowers falling white on the ground like other families. But in the past month, the apple orchard has been rotting and falling off while it was still developing. The family has tried many remedies but to no avail.

According to Mr. Phan Trung Vinh - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Hieu Commune, at first apple trees were intercropped, but later, seeing their economic value, many households converted ineffective orange and sugarcane areas to grow apples. Currently, the whole commune has about 10 hectares of apples, this year the flowers bloomed right at the time of storms and rains, so the apple crop failed... The Farmers' Association also organized training courses on crops for people, but the biggest concern is the varieties and the uncontrolled drift of pesticides. This is a new crop, so people do not have much experience in caring for and treating pests and diseases.

At this time last year, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen in Nghia Hieu commune (Nghia Dan) sold about 100 kg of apples per day, but this year she has none. Photo: Dinh Thuy

The whole Nghia Dan district has about 20 hectares; apple is a short-term tree, easy to grow and considered easier to care for than orange trees. Apples are sold at 15,000 - 30,000 VND/kg. In recent years, Nghia Dan has developed a Dai variety, with large and sweet fruits, so it is favored by the market.

Not only in Nghia Hieu but also apple growers in Nghia Dan have encountered difficulties this year, apples do not bear fruit or are infected with pests, the apple season has come but the harvest is not done. The reason, according to apple growers, is due to the rainy weather, while apple trees are suitable for sunny weather./.

Dinh Thuy