Farmers growing custard apples earn high incomes thanks to applying new techniques

(Baonghean.vn) - Thanks to the application of pruning and pollination techniques, many custard apple growers in Thai Hoa are increasingly earning high incomes.

In early August, we visited Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong's house in Trung Dinh hamlet, Nghia My commune, Thai Hoa town. His entire 4-acre garden was filled with the green color of custard apples. This crop was his choice after deciding to renovate his mixed garden 3 years ago. This is the second year that custard apples have been harvested, with an estimated yield of nearly 8 tons of fruit.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong lives in Trung Dinh hamlet, Nghia My commune (Thai Hoa town).

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong said: "Compared to many other crops, custard apple trees are much more economically efficient because they have fewer pests and diseases, and are popular in the market, bringing high income to growers."

The remarkable point of this model is that custard apple growers have taken the initiative in the number of crops in a year by pruning branches, promoting flowering, then actively pollinating, controlling the number of fruits. Therefore, after the main custard apple season, Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong's family still has an alternating custard apple season to sell at a higher price.

Thanks to good care techniques, Mr. Phuong's custard apple trees bear lots of fruit. Photo: The Duong

Last year, Mr. Phuong's custard apples sold for no less than 30,000 VND/kg. "I learned the technique of pruning branches and forcing custard apples to flower and bear fruit from custard apple growers in Bac Giang. I can proactively increase the number of crops for the custard apple tree. This method requires hard work. Because pruning branches, stimulating the tree to flower, then the pollination stage must choose the right time in terms of light" - Mr. Phuong shared his experience.

After successfully planting and applying the intercropping technique in his family garden, Mr. Phuong propagated the seeds to sell and instruct other farmers.

The garden of Mrs. Ngo Thi Thuong's family in Trung Dinh hamlet also planted nearly 200 custard apple trees; according to calculations, the custard apples will be harvested next year. According to Mrs. Thuong, the family chose custard apple trees because they found them suitable for the soil and had stable economic efficiency. Previous households have proven this. Currently, the family is also making efforts to take care of the trees and accumulate techniques so that next year the trees will yield the desired harvest."

The 200-tree custard apple garden of Mrs. Ngo Thi Thuong's family in Trung Dinh hamlet. Photo: Hai Yen

Custard apple is a fairly common crop in home gardens. However, growing in large quantities and creating commercial products is a new model of farmers in Nghia My commune. The boldness in renovating mixed gardens and choosing suitable crops has increased the income of farmers. Currently, Thai Hoa has thousands of commercial custard apple trees./.

Hai Yen - The Duong