JICA supports Con Cuong to build ecological orange garden

(Baonghean) - Recently, at the Meeting with Investors held in Nghe An (February 19), guests were very interested in enjoying products made from clean Con Cuong oranges. Notably, these are products produced by Con Cuong farmers themselves with the enthusiastic support of experts from JICA (Japan).

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue visited the booth introducing Con Cuong orange products at the Meeting with Investors held in Nghe An in February 2017. Photo: Tran Chau

Con Cuong orange is a sweet and fragrant orange that has become a brand name in the consumption of Nghe An people. During the survey to find support and investment models, impressed by the delicious orange products in Pha village, Yen Khe commune, JICA in collaboration with the Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Industry Research selected households to build ecological orange gardens and support people with machinery and equipment to process many valuable products from oranges. The processing facility was established under the management of the orange production group and orange specialties according to clean processes.

The new product has been known to many people, especially ensuring food safety and hygiene. Mr. Tang Ngoc Son - head of the specialty orange production team added: On the afternoon of March 2, 2017, the JICA delegation came to Pha village, Yen Khe to inspect the project, everyone highly appreciated the results. We were happy when the delegation bought all the products we produced including orange jam, hundreds of bottles of wine, orange syrup... to introduce.

Picking oranges at the ecological garden. Photo: Tuong Vi

As part of the community tourism project implemented in 2016, the project chose the orange tree as an effective tree in Con Cuong to open a new direction for people to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. The project supported an area of ​​5 hectares according to the eco-tourism model. JICA supported the group with signboards, orange picking bags, orange picking baskets in the ecological orange garden, invested in wine filters, wine mixing tools, bottle capping machines, date stamping machines, orange peel dryers, orange peel grinders for essential oil cooking, essential oil cookers, bag sealing machines... to complete the products. Approaching the new way of doing things, we were extremely excited and just hoped to find a way to produce more products.

To have delicious orange products, orange growers in Con Cuong have applied science and technology, grown oranges according to VietGAP process, using Valenxia orange and Van Du orange varieties, which are two delicious orange varieties today. 5 households also invested in irrigation systems and irrigation tanks to increase orange productivity to 25 tons/ha. Microbiological products and plant protection drugs all comply with technical processes. Mr. Tang Ngoc Son also added that the production team is completing procedures on food safety and codes and barcodes to prepare for production and supply to the market, especially on the upcoming April 30 and May 1 holidays to supply tourists to Con Cuong and Nghe An.

With new and uncomplicated technology, products made from clean oranges including orange peel jam, orange wine, orange wine, orange soap, orange essential oil, orange syrup... in Con Cuong have been successful. The products are sold directly at the factory and were honored to be introduced at the Nghe An Investors Meeting last February.

Orange jam dryer - Photo: Tuong Vi

Currently, Con Cuong district has nearly 300 hectares, of which nearly 200 hectares of oranges are concentrated in Yen Khe commune, the average yield in the 2016 harvest reached 20 tons/ha, the total output reached about 3,000 tons. 1 hectare of oranges sold for more than 500 million VND, profit of 350 million VND. The lowest price at the garden is 20,000 VND, sometimes up to 50,000 VND/kg.

The goal set by the district is to have an orange growing area of ​​450 hectares by 2020, planned mainly in the communes of Yen Khe, Chi Khe, Mon Son, Luc Da, Bong Khe, Don Phuc, Mau Duc, and Thach Ngan. Along with expanding the orange growing area, the district has also gradually affirmed the Con Cuong orange brand and improved the quality of orange processed products.

Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee - Mr. Vi Van Son affirmed that Con Cuong District will support the factory team and location to introduce products and commit to JICA to maintain and promote the project's achievements, promote the potential of community tourism so that people can benefit.

Chau Lan - Tuong Vi