Farmers take care of pomelos in preparation for Tet

(Baonghean.vn) - Due to the high demand for fruit during Tet, the Dien grapefruit crop in Nghia Dan sells for a good price; farmers consider this the main crop of the year.

There are still 2 months left until Tet, which is also the time to harvest Dien grapefruit, but at gardens in Nghia Dan, many traders have come to ask to buy the whole garden.

The Dien grapefruit garden of Mr. Nguyen Van Loi's family in Nghia Chinh hamlet, Nghia Lam commune, has fruit weighing 1-1.2 kg and turning bright yellow.

Mr. Loi said that grapefruit trees are very suitable for the soil and climate of Nghia Dan, so they grow well, are rarely affected by pests and diseases, have beautiful fruit, and a rich sweet taste. Especially, the fruit ripens right on Tet holiday, so it has a high selling price. The fruit can be stored in normal conditions for up to 2 months after harvest, so it is popular in the market.

The Dien grapefruit garden of Mr. Nguyen Van Loi's family in Nghia Chinh hamlet, Nghia Lam commune has fruits weighing 1-1.2 kg; they will be harvested during Tet. Photo: Minh Thai

With 100 Dien grapefruit trees, each year Mr. Loi harvests about 9,000 - 10,000 fruits. This year, in general, gardeners have more harvests on Tet holiday than in previous years, making everyone excited.

According to Mr. Loi, to grow Dien grapefruit effectively, the most important step is care. After harvesting, growers must weed, apply manure and inorganic fertilizers. During the fruit-bearing period, another round of fertilizer must be applied. To have delicious Dien grapefruit, watering the plants is very important, because the humidity in the gardens is different, so care must be taken so that the grapefruit can be harvested in November and December of the lunar calendar.

In addition, during the care period, attention must be paid to pests such as rust, fruit flies and small stink bugs... At the same time, to preserve grapefruit for a long time, keeping its delicious, pure flavor, when the fruit is ripe, it should be harvested on a sunny day.

Ms. Tran Thi Thin's family is one of the pioneers in bringing Dien grapefruit trees to Nghia Lam commune. Ms. Thin shared that in the past, on an area of ​​nearly 6 sao of ineffective mixed garden land, in 2008, she invested in planting 120 trees.

Currently, Dien grapefruit is sold at the garden for an average price of 15,000 - 20,000 VND/fruit. Photo: Minh Thai

Dien grapefruit can be harvested after only 3 years. Trees planted for 5 years or more can yield 50 to 100 fruits per tree; later on, the yield can reach 100-200 fruits per tree. The quality of the grapefruit is not inferior to Hanoi Dien grapefruit.

Not only successful with the Dien grapefruit growing model, Ms. Thin also became a seed supplier serving people in the district and the districts of Quy Hop, Quynh Luu...

"Recently, the number of seedlings sold is quite large, from 500 to 1000 each year; with the price of 40,000 VND/tree, mainly grafted trees. People trust grafted trees more because this type of seedlings bears fruit quickly and is easy to care for" - Ms. Thin added.

Dien grapefruit grown in Nghia Dan is popular in the market and sells for a high price, on average selling in the garden for 15,000 - 20,000 VND/fruit; 100 Dien grapefruit trees each harvest can yield from 150 - 180 million VND.

In order to change the crop structure and improve economic efficiency per unit area, Nghia Lam commune has recently promoted the expansion of economic models, introducing crops such as oranges, grapefruits, guavas, and apples to help people increase their income. In Dien grapefruit alone, the commune has converted more than 20 hectares of ineffective land.

Dien grapefruit harvested during Tet is a clean agricultural product favored by the market. Grapefruit trees have a long harvest period, the older the tree, the sweeter the fruit; in addition to harvesting the fruit, branches can be grafted to sell seeds, so expanding the Dien grapefruit model is a promising direction to help farmers increase their income./.

Minh Thai