Failing to develop the strengths of orange cultivation is a mistake!

(Baonghean) - It would be a mistake not to quickly make oranges a key crop in Nghe An province in the context of Vietnam's deep integration into the global market - This was the opinion expressed by Mr. Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province, at a meeting on the morning of November 7, 2015, with departments, agencies, agricultural and forestry companies, and districts, cities, and towns in the province to discuss solutions for developing oranges into a key crop of the province.

The crop is highly effective.

Nghe An oranges, famous under the brand "Vinh Oranges," have been recognized by consumers both domestically and internationally. On December 17, 2010, the Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology granted geographical indication protection for "Vinh Oranges" to Nghe An oranges. This provides the basis and conditions for Nghe An to expand orange cultivation on a large scale, not only for domestic consumption but also aiming to become a major export product to international markets and a large source of raw materials for high-value fruit juice processing plants in the near future.

The origin of the famous fragrant and delicious Vinh orange brand stems from the Xa Doai orange variety, which originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was brought and planted by a French missionary who came to spread Christianity in what is now Xa Doai. Nowadays, Xa Doai oranges are no longer confined to the Xa Doai region; they have been cultivated in many localities inside and outside the province thanks to asexual propagation methods.

Illustrative image

Recently, through scientific and technological exchange, Nghe An province has added the V2 orange variety, which is being cultivated on a relatively large scale. Both the Xa Doai and V2 orange varieties share almost identical basic characteristics: cylindrical fruit shape, an average weight of 140-145 grams, thin peel, and bright yellow flesh resembling honey. They have few seeds, a fragrant aroma, and a distinctive sweet taste. Notably, both varieties bloom late and ripen around the Lunar New Year, making them highly valuable when sold.

Currently, Nghe An province has 3,425 hectares of oranges planted with both Xa Doai and V2 varieties, concentrated in the districts of: Quy Hop (1,642 ha), Nghia Dan (425 ha), Thanh Chuong (303 ha), Yen Thanh (28 ha), Con Cuong (137 ha), Nam Dan (162 ha), Anh Son (110 ha), Nghi Loc (105 ha), and scattered in some other localities. Of this area, 1,867 hectares are for commercial production, with an average yield of 135 quintals/hectare across the province.

At Xuan Thanh Agricultural Company in Quy Hop district, nearly 800 hectares of orange groves are allocated to 680 contracted households, with an average of 1.07 hectares per household. The households with the largest contracts have 3-5 hectares, while the smallest have 0.5-1.0 hectares. According to Mr. Hoang Minh, Director of Xuan Thanh Agricultural Company, of the nearly 800 hectares of orange groves, 320 hectares are in production. The 2013 orange harvest was bountiful, but despite low prices, it still generated an income of 100 billion VND.

The 2014 orange harvest was successful, yielding both good prices and a bountiful crop, resulting in a revenue of 150 billion VND. The 2015 harvest, despite a severe drought, still yielded many oranges, though smaller, and still generated an income of approximately 143-145 billion VND. Currently, 2016 is seeing a very abundant harvest, and it is expected to be a bumper crop year, comparable to 2014 and 2015... According to Mr. Hoang Minh, with good intensive farming practices and sufficient irrigation, a hectare of orange trees generating 1 billion VND in revenue is commonplace here.

Currently, at Xuan Thanh Agricultural Company, there are 40 farming households that have formed a club of orange growers with annual revenues exceeding 1 billion VND. In Minh Hop commune, Quy Hop district, there is Mr. Kieu Quang Vinh - an experienced and skilled orange grower. Mr. Vinh said: His family only has 0.75 hectares of orange trees. Last year, he harvested 40 tons of fruit, selling it at an average price of 30,000 VND/kg, generating a revenue of 1.2 billion VND. This year's orange crop suffered from severe drought, and irrigation was insufficient, so the yield was somewhat lower than last year. However, it is still possible to earn less than 1 billion VND from this 0.75-hectare area.

Visiting the rice-growing district of Yen Thanh, in Dong Thanh commune, at Thien Son orange farm, managed by Mr. Trinh Xuan Giao, he shared: His farm has 20 hectares of oranges planted with Xa Doai and V2 varieties, with 15 hectares already yielding harvests and the remaining 5 hectares to be harvested next year. The first orange harvest (2012) yielded 200 tons of fruit, generating an income of 5.4 billion VND. The 2013 harvest yielded 400 tons of fruit, generating an income of 12 billion VND.

The 2014 orange harvest yielded 500 tons, generating 15 billion VND in revenue, while the 2015 harvest yielded 600 tons of oranges, generating 17-18 billion VND in revenue. The 2016 harvest is likely to be even more bountiful than 2015. According to Mr. Trinh Xuan Giao, 50% of his farm's oranges are sold within the province, while the remaining 50% are purchased directly from his farm by customers from Hanoi, Saigon, and other provinces. Currently, his farm is expanding by another 12 hectares in 2016.

Vinh oranges are famously delicious, but why haven't they "broken through" to become the province's main agricultural product? (Illustrative photo).

Clearly, orange trees grown in Nghe An province have brought significant economic benefits to orange growers. Furthermore, orange trees are excellent for protecting the soil and the environment. In recent years, most orange growers with a scale of around 1 hectare have easily earned incomes ranging from hundreds of millions to over 1 billion VND per hectare; meanwhile, the investment costs for orange production are calculated to be a maximum of only 13-15% of revenue.

"If we visit some areas where farmers grow Xa Doai oranges and V2 oranges in the districts of Quy Hop, Tan Ky, Nghia Dan, Con Cuong, Yen Thanh… we will truly see the real value of the orange tree. It not only helps to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty but is also a crop that enriches many families," said Mr. Ho Ngoc Sy, former Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Developing orange cultivation is a sound policy.

At meetings discussing policies and solutions for developing orange cultivation in Nghe An province, there is virtually no hesitation, doubt, or reluctance in the opinions expressed during discussions.

Conversely, all opinions agree that expanding and vigorously developing orange cultivation in Nghe An is a correct policy, and in reality, the income from oranges for growers over the past few years has proven this.

In Nghe An, orange trees have favorable conditions and advantages for development, namely: The high-quality Xa Doai orange variety is known to consumers both within and outside the province, and even in some countries around the world when they mention "Vinh oranges." Recently, the V2 orange variety has been added, with quality comparable to Xa Doai oranges; both varieties are excellent. The western region of Nghe An has 13,400 hectares of basaltic red soil, a very good soil with a thick topsoil layer, suitable for growing long-term industrial and fruit crops. Currently, this region is a key orange-growing area in Nghe An, encompassing the districts of Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, and Thai Hoa town…

The Xã Đoài orange variety has been present in Nghe An for nearly a century. It is well-suited to the soil, climate, and living environment of Nghe An, and the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Science and Technology have annually provided sufficient funding for research, evaluation, selection, and restoration. As a result, the Xã Đoài orange variety remains excellent and retains its original quality.

The people of Nghe An have long-standing experience and tradition in orange cultivation. With the Provincial People's Committee's initiative to expand orange cultivation on a large scale, this presents an opportunity for oranges to become a key crop, a major commodity, and a strong product of Nghe An in the near future.

In the Political Report at the Nghe An Provincial Party Congress for the 2015-2020 term, the section on agriculture and rural development clearly states: The goal is to increase the area of ​​newly planted orange trees to 2,500 hectares by 2020, bringing the total area of ​​orange trees in the province to 6,000 hectares. The aim is to achieve an average yield of 180 quintals/hectare for commercially grown orange trees, with a total production of approximately 36,000-40,000 tons of commercial oranges.

To implement the policy of strongly developing orange cultivation from now until 2020 and beyond, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee have decided to call on domestic and foreign businesses to invest in building fruit processing factories in Nghe An. Initially, the Provincial People's Committee will allocate provincial funds to support 10,000 VND per seedling and provide funding for land preparation and field improvement for orange cultivation.

The policy of expanding and strongly developing orange cultivation in Nghe An using the traditional Xa Doai orange variety and the high-quality V2 orange variety is entirely correct, in line with current trends, and is strongly supported by farmers, especially those in mountainous districts.

To ensure the Vinh orange brand reaches far and wide and remains unforgettable in the memories of people near and far, both domestically and internationally, we propose that the Provincial People's Committee assign the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with the Quy Hop District People's Committee to organize an orange festival, introducing Vinh oranges to consumers nationwide and internationally, highlighting this rare and precious specialty orange from Nghe An province. This will create a closed value chain from producers to businesses that will distribute and consume all the oranges produced by the farmers.

Doan Tri Tue