Growing bananas provides a high income.
(Baonghean)Mr. Cao Hai Dang is one of the pioneers in introducing banana trees to the hilly areas of Tau hamlet, Nghia Xuan commune, Quy Hop district, bringing high income to his family...
Recognizing that the soil in his village was very suitable for banana cultivation, since 2006, Mr. Cao Hai Dang boldly converted his less productive cassava and corn fields to banana plantations, covering an area of 1 hectare. Bananas are easy to grow, require little labor and investment, and develop quickly. From the fourth year of planting, bananas provide a stable and consistent income. Harvesting is possible in rotation, with each banana plant yielding two harvests per month, at the end and middle of the month.
Bananas are purchased directly from the orchard by traders, with the cheapest price being 8,000 VND and the most expensive 15,000 VND per bunch. Banana trees can remain on the land from planting for up to 15 years without being affected by pests or diseases. After 7 years of growing bananas, Mr. Cao Hai Dang's family now has more than 400 clumps. The banana trees have truly brought high economic efficiency to his family. Mr. Dang shared: "On average, my family earns 6 to 7 million VND per month. Tet (Lunar New Year) is the peak time, bananas sell well, I sell over 300 bunches, at prices from 150,000 to 200,000 VND per bunch. The total annual income from bananas is over 120 million VND per hectare."
The hamlet of Tàu in Nghĩa Xuân commune has 140 households with 560 inhabitants. Seeing the economic benefits of Mr. Đăng's banana cultivation model, many households in Tàu hamlet have switched from less productive crops to bananas since 2010. To date, over 35 households in Tàu hamlet cultivate bananas on an area exceeding 8 hectares. Bananas have become the main crop helping the people here achieve sustainable poverty reduction.
Currently, Tau hamlet has 30 wealthy households, 65 well-off households, 32 average households, and only 13 poor households. Banana cultivation in Tau hamlet has been and is being emulated by many other hamlets in Nghia Xuan commune in particular, and Quy Hop district in general.
Minh Nguyet