Phuc Trach pomelo reigns supreme in Con Cuong.

(Baonghean.vn) - In recent years, many households in Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong district) have converted their short-term crop land to fruit trees, including Phuc Trach pomelo, which yields high economic returns.

The family of Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Chien in Quyet Tien village is one of the pioneering households in planting Phuc Trach pomelos, a variety purchased from Ha Tinh province. To date, after 4 years of planting and caring for them, 120 trees on 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of land belonging to Mr. Chien's family have all borne fruit simultaneously.

The grapefruit orchard with 120 trees belonging to the family of Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Chien, Quyet Tien village, Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Ba Hau

Mr. Chien said: "Growing pomelos requires little care, is less susceptible to pests and diseases, and starts yielding fruit after only 3 years. The economic value is 3-4 times higher than previous crop cultivation. Pomelo trees have an average lifespan of over 10 years before needing replacement. Importantly, there's no need to worry about sales because pomelos are easy to sell; during harvest season, traders come directly to the orchard to buy them."

According to Mr. Chien, this year's weather was unfavorable, causing the pomelo trees to flower late. He had to invest more effort in caring for the trees to ensure a high fruit set rate, with some trees yielding over 100 fruits. With current selling prices at the orchard ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 VND per fruit, and "selected" fruits selling for 40,000 to 60,000 VND per fruit, his family earned over 60 million VND from this pomelo harvest.

Mr. Trinh Xuan Tao prunes the grapefruit trees after harvesting. Photo: Ba Hau.

Also in Quyet Tien village, on an area of ​​5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of land, Mr. Trinh Xuan Tao's family previously grew short-term crops with low yields. After visiting and learning from experiences in many areas inside and outside the province, and researching through newspapers, in 2013 Mr. Tao introduced Phuc Trach pomelo trees for cultivation.

To date, 135 grapefruit trees in Mr. Tạo's garden have yielded fruit, with each tree producing an average of 50-60 fruits.Mr. Tạo shared: "Growing pomelos is only hard work in the first few years, but after that, you can harvest regularly, creating a stable annual income and making it less strenuous."

Phuc Trach pomelos are large, with evenly sized segments and a sweet, refreshing taste, making them popular with consumers. Photo: Ba Hau

Currently, there are over 10 households growing Phuc Trach pomelos in Chi Khe commune.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Chi Khe commune, said: "Besides key crops like oranges and apples, Phuc Trach pomelos are now widely grown by the people. In reality, this crop brings high economic efficiency. The commune has identified this as one of the crops that will contribute to the economic restructuring of the area in the coming time."

Ba Hau - Minh Hanh