Nghia Dan farmers successfully test-planted American fig trees

That is Mr. Phan Duc Thien in Mai Thinh hamlet, Nghia Mai commune. 3 years ago, when he went to Hanoi to learn about tree varieties and learned that the American fig tree is a rare species in Vietnam, mainly grown in An Giang, Mr. Thien decided to buy a brown fig tree from Taiwan.trial plantingUp to now, his fig garden has propagated more than 600 fruit-bearing trees.

Growing American fig trees. Photo: Bich Hang

American fig is a non-seasonal fruiting plant, it bears fruit all year round, the ripe fruit is harvested, the tree will flower and continue to produce young fruit. The tree has an average height of about 5m when mature, after 6-8 months of planting, the tree will produce the first crop of fruit. American fig is not picky about soil, it can live on many different soil conditions such as loam, sandy soil, basalt, ... but cannot live in soil that is often flooded.

The planting season for American fig trees is in the middle of the year, around May and June of the lunar calendar is the best time to plant seedlings. In the warm spring of the following year, around January and February of the lunar calendar, the tree will begin to bear its first fruits. The lifespan of American fig trees is very long, the fruiting time is long and continuous every year.

American figs are quite soft, supple, fragrant, have sweet honey, and a delicious taste, so they are grown in many countries around the world. The fruit is brewed to make drinks or used as a laxative. The very small seeds of figs help eliminate toxins and mucus in the intestines and expel them from the body. American figs stimulate the cardiovascular system, protect liver function, and heal wounds...

American fig tree bearing fruit on Nghia Dan land. Photo: Bich Hang

According to our observations, the American fig tree bears fruit under each leaf axil, not growing in clusters like normal fig trees. On average, about 20 - 25 fruits reach a weight of 1kg, some fruits are as big as a fist. In addition to caring for American figs to harvest fruit, for healthy, well-developed trees, it is possible to graft branches and create seedlings for propagation.

For fruit, there are two finished products: fresh figs and dried figs. Growers can buy their own machines and dry them safely within 8 hours. This type of fig can be preserved longer than the finished product of fresh figs. Figs are not harvested in large quantities, only fresh figs are picked when customers order them, because this type can only be kept for 2-3 days after harvest, and will ferment later.

After 6-8 months of planting, the American fig tree produces its first crop of fruit; on average, about 20-25 ripe fruits weighing 1kg, some of which are almost as big as a fist. Photo: Bich Hang

Mr. Cao Van Bang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Mai commune said: "Implementing the policycrop restructuringThe People's Committee of the commune has also promoted, mobilized and encouraged farmers to switch from ineffective production models to new models with higher economic efficiency, bringing good income to their families. The model of growing American fig trees was first implemented in Nghia Mai commune and the initial results were relatively positive. Hopefully, the model will give good results in the near future."