Developing hybrid acacia trees is difficult.
In recent years, Ky Son district has benefited from many reforestation projects, resulting in an increase in the area of planted forests in general and hybrid acacia trees in particular. However, the development of hybrid acacia trees here still faces many obstacles and has not yielded high efficiency.
(Baonghean)In recent years, Ky Son district has benefited from many reforestation projects, resulting in an increase in the area of planted forests in general and hybrid acacia trees in particular. However, the development of hybrid acacia trees here still faces many obstacles and has not yielded high efficiency.
Mr. Vi Hong Son's family cultivates 1.5 hectares of hybrid acacia trees, of which more than 0.5 hectares were planted in 2008. This means that area is almost ready for harvest. However, the current market price of hybrid acacia is low and there are no buyers, so he and many other households are worried about who to sell to and at what price. Because the longer the acacia trees are left unharvested, the lower their value becomes.
In recent years, to encourage people to develop hybrid acacia trees, the State has implemented several support projects such as 147, 661, etc. When participating in these projects, people receive full support in terms of seeds and fertilizers, and guidance on planting, caring for, and pest control techniques. Families classified as poor also receive monthly rice subsidies. Thanks to these efforts, the area planted with hybrid acacia trees in Ky Son has reached 65 hectares.
However, after some time, several limitations became apparent. Acacia trees are known to thrive at altitudes of around 700 meters above sea level, while Ky Son, with its predominantly hilly terrain, is primarily at altitudes of 1000 meters or higher. Furthermore, the harsh weather and frequent frost significantly impacted the growth and development of the acacia trees. The local people also have a tradition of letting their cattle roam freely, resulting in significant damage to large areas of the plantations during the initial planting period. Moreover, being located nearly 300km from Vinh City and lacking a processing plant for acacia wood, the harvesting and transportation of the trees presented considerable difficulties.
According to locals, the current price of acacia wood is 950,000 VND per ton, while transportation costs are nearly 500,000 VND per ton. The low price is one thing, but buyers are hesitant to travel to Ky Son. Regarding the development of hybrid acacia trees, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong, Deputy Head of the Ky Son District Protective Forest Management Board, suggested: “Currently, hybrid acacia trees do not yield high economic returns. From our unit's perspective, we propose that when introducing these trees, relevant authorities should carefully study the natural conditions and customs of the local people. Introducing native tree species would be easier to cultivate. We also need more support projects to increase the planted forest area.”
Currently, some people are no longer enthusiastic about hybrid acacia. Moreover, the majority of ethnic minority people have a mentality of wanting to see immediate results, so the planted areas are not being properly cared for. Some people have even switched from planting acacia to planting mahogany trees.
Phan Tam
