Raising wild boars under the canopy of 400 rubber trees generates a huge income.
(Baonghean.vn) - Planting rubber trees not for latex but for shade and to feed the local pigs - this "unconventional" approach has brought hundreds of millions of dong in income each year to the family of Mr. Pham Van An in Hamlet 12, Nghia Trung Commune, Nghia Dan District.
Pham Van An's wild boar farm is nestled under the shade of five-year-old rubber trees..Mr. An pruned 400 rubber trees to prevent them from growing tall, instead focusing on developing a canopy to provide shade for his pigs.
 |
| The model of raising native pigs by the family of Mr. Pham Van An in Hamlet 12, Nghia Trung commune (Nghia Dan district). Photo: Duc Anh |
Mr. An said that his family had been raising pigs for many years, but the fluctuating price of pork meant unstable income. Recognizing the market's preference for "clean pork," he shifted his focus to raising wild boar and native Vietnamese pigs.
He discussed with his wife the idea of clearing 5 acres of sugarcane in their garden to plant rubber trees because this type of pig needs a lot of exercise and shade, and if they are kept in confinement, the meat quality will not be good.
Two years after planting rubber trees and when the trees began to develop canopies, Mr. An invested in raising local breed pigs. According to him, he chose rubber trees for shade because of their wide canopies, and also because the fruit of the rubber tree is very palatable to local pigs and is nutritious due to its oil content.
When rubber trees bear fruit, pigs mainly eat rubber fruit and grass.At other times of the year, he supplements the pigs' feed with corn, potatoes, and other vegetables.Because the cost of raising them is low and the care required is minimal, the couple still has time to do other jobs.
 |
| Rubber trees provide shade and supplement the pigs' food supply. Photo: Dinh Thuy |
Each year, Mr. An's family raises 80-100 wild boars; each weighing an average of 15-30 kg. With the current selling price of 120,000 VND/kg, he earns a profit of over 100 million VND annually.
Raising wild boars under rubber trees is the first model of its kind in Nghia Dan; using rubber fruit to feed pigs, as Mr. An does, is also "one of a kind" in the district.Mr. Luc Van Son, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Trung commune, said: "This model has innovative ways to get rich on one's own land."The association organized visits for its branches, and depending on the specific circumstances of each family, the model could be replicated.