Golden grapefruit gardens full of fruit welcome Tet in Giang Son Dong

Dien grapefruit in Mr. Dao Danh Bay's family garden - Dong Thinh hamlet, Giang Son Dong commune, Do Luong district. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

These days, Mr. Dao Danh Bay and his wife in Dong Thinh hamlet, Giang Son Dong commune, Do Luong district are always busy with the work of harvesting grapefruit in their family garden. Although this year the price of grapefruit is not as high as previous years due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, however, compared to other fruit trees,Dien grapefruitstill gives good income during Lunar New Year.

Currently, Mr. Bay's family grows about 2,000 grapefruit trees, mainly Dien grapefruit. Thanks to careful care, the grapefruit garden always produces fragrant, sweet fruit with beautiful, tight skin, typical of Dien grapefruit. He said: "Last time, we sold Dien grapefruit at a mass price of 15,000 VND/fruit, and selected grapefruit at 18,000 VND/fruit. Currently, the family has earned over 100 million VND from selling grapefruit."

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thinh's family's grapefruit garden has 110 Dien grapefruit trees ready to be harvested. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

Not only Mr. Dao Danh Bay's family, currently in Giang Son Dong commune there are over 40 households growing Dien grapefruit. Most of the households have a good income thanks to growing grapefruit. The longer Dien grapefruit is grown, the more fruit it produces and the more delicious it is.

For example, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thinh's family has a grapefruit garden of 110 trees that has been planted for 8 years. Currently, her family is waiting for the Tet holiday to sell them to reach the peak price.“The family has also sold a small amount of grapefruit to the market recently, and currently has about 700 to 800 fruits that the family is waiting for near Tet to sell at a good price. This year, due to little rain, the grapefruit is sweeter than previous years…” - Ms. Thinh shared.

Grapefruit gardens full of ripe fruit are waiting for Tet to sell for a good price. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

Dien grapefruit trees are grown inGiang Son Dong communealways favored by customers not only in Do Luong district, but also many customers in Yen Thanh, Tan Ky, Dien Chau, Vinh city come to buy. Dien grapefruit has an average weight of 1.4 kg per fruit. Last year's Lunar New Year, thegarden houseHere it is sold for 20 thousand VND/kg. This year it is expected to be from 15 to 20 thousand VND/fruit.

To support the care and output of the product, over 40 grapefruit growing households in Giang Son Dong commune have joined together to form a "Fruit Tree Growing Cooperative". Through this cooperative, members will regularly connect with each other to exchange care techniques, prevent pests and diseases, and especially the appropriate time to sell to achieve high economic value. Thanks to favorable natural conditions, grapefruit trees in general and Dien grapefruit in particular in the mountainous commune of Giang Son Dong have been and are bringing high income to the people here.

Dien grapefruit in Giang Son Dong commune has a beautiful, plump appearance thanks to being peeled beforehand - Mr. Dang Ba Tan - shared. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

Mr. Dang Ba Tan, a member of the Fruit Tree Growing Cooperative in Dong Thinh Hamlet, Giang Son Dong Commune, said: “To ensure the quality of grapefruit, my family fights fruit flies by using bait and wrapping the fruit. But wrapping the fruit will be more effective. In addition, Dien grapefruit is fertilized twice a year, in the third lunar month and the tenth and eleventh lunar months. The fertilizer used is decomposed manure and NPK.”

To continue to produce fruit next year, some households dig trenches to fertilize.

Among nearly 40 farming households growing Dien grapefruit in Giang Son Dong commune, according to the calculations of the commune's fruit tree growing cooperative, households with low income also reach several tens of millions of VND/year, households with medium income reach approximately 100 million VND, and income from 200 million to 500 million VND with Dien grapefruit, combined with other grapefruit varieties, there are up to 7 households, such as the households of Mr. Dao Danh Bay, Dao Danh Hien... in Dong Thinh hamlet.