Farmers in Nghe An are actively working to 'revitalize' their fruit trees after Tet.

This year, the Ngoc Huong family in Khe Tray village, Thanh Duc commune (Thanh Chuong district) sold 20 tons of oranges for the Lunar New Year. Although the yield and production decreased significantly this year, only half of last year's, the high selling price of 60,000 VND/kg compensated for it, resulting in a good income for the farmers. "Six hectares of orange trees yielded about 30 tons of fruit, of which about 10 tons were sold before Tet and 20 tons during Tet. Oranges sold during Tet fetched a better price and were easier to sell," Ms. Huong said.

The entire orange orchard of Ngoc Huong farm is cultivated using organic methods and received organic certification in 2023. Therefore, post-harvest care of the oranges is more labor-intensive and requires more effort compared to conventional farming methods.

Ms. Huong said: “To fertilize the orange trees, we have prepared tens of tons of pre-composted manure. After the orange trees stop flowering (drop the flowers), we use green fungus biological products to spray and control fruit-eating insects, and antifungal biological products to prevent disease. Currently, the gardeners have composted ripe bananas into a product that will be applied to the trees in early April to increase potassium levels; we are also using corn stalks as mulch to retain moisture and increase the amount of organic fertilizer for the trees.”

This method of care is more labor-intensive, requiring the hiring of up to 10 seasonal workers, and the investment costs are quite high. However, in return, thanks to the use of organic fertilizers, the soil becomes more porous, the plants are healthier and more productive, and the oranges are larger, shinier, and have a sweeter, more fragrant flavor that is favored by the market. Importantly, the fruit does not fall off or rot due to weather conditions.

These days, on the hillsides of Thanh Duc and Thanh Huong communes – key orange-growing areas in Thanh Chuong district – farmers are busy tending their orchards. Pruning and fertilizing are two key aspects of inducing flowering in orange trees. Pruning allows farmers to proactively select which branches will bear fruit and which will produce new shoots for the next season.

Caring for orange trees after Tet (Lunar New Year) is just as arduous and requires just as much skill as the fruiting stage. Therefore, in addition to their experience, orchard owners have learned techniques from many places to ensure their trees thrive.

“Post-harvest care of the trees will determine the yield and quality of the oranges in the next season. Therefore, the family is focusing manpower and implementing care measures. The work of caring for the orange trees will last until the end of February, when the orange trees begin to bloom. We will stop caring for the roots and instead monitor the trees to promptly prevent pests and diseases,” said Mr. Tran Dien Vi, the owner of an orange farm in Suon hamlet, Thanh Duc commune.

Owning a mixed fruit farm with guava, pomelo, and dragon fruit, Mrs. Tran Thi Hanh's family in Quynh Tam commune, Quynh Luu district, earned hundreds of millions of dong during the recent Tet holiday. Of these, Dien pomelo and guava were the two main crops supplying the Tet market.

“During the peak season, Dien pomelos are harvested from November of the lunar calendar. However, to have pomelos to sell during Tet (Lunar New Year), orchard owners have to intervene with cultivation techniques to ‘keep’ the fruit on the trees longer, which weakens them. Therefore, after the Tet harvest, care must be carried out immediately,” Ms. Hanh said. In addition to 3 regular workers, Ms. Hanh has to hire 5 seasonal laborers to clean the orchard and take care of the fruit trees after Tet.

Currently, apple orchards in Nam Dan district are entering the final stages of harvesting the last crop of fruit, and pruning is underway. Mr. Tran Van Danh, the owner of an apple farm in Thuong Tan Loc commune (Nam Dan), has 300 apple trees. After harvesting the last crop of apples around the 15th day of the first lunar month, he is now pruning the apple trees.

“This year, apples sold well at 23,000 - 25,000 VND/kg during Tet (Lunar New Year), bringing our family tens of millions of VND in income from this year's apple harvest. After the spring rains stopped and the weather cleared, we pruned all the main trunks, cutting them low to the base, and sprinkled lime to improve soil pH and prevent fungal diseases in the orchard. After pruning, we applied well-rotted manure 30-35 days later to promote apple sprouting. At the same time, we planted legumes such as soybeans and mung beans to improve the soil and control weeds.”

According to preliminary statistics, the area of ​​fruit trees in Nghe An is approximately 20,000 hectares, mainly concentrated in low-lying mountainous districts with long-term planning such as Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong, and Quy Hop, with key varieties including pineapple, orange, banana, guava, and apple.

According to recommendations from experts, after the fruiting period, trees are often weakened and need proper care to recover quickly and prepare for a successful next season. Besides understanding and applying the correct knowledge and techniques for post-harvest fruit tree care, farmers should change their farming methods towards organic farming, using manure to improve soil and supplement nutrients for the trees; and using biological products to control pests and diseases.