Despite the drought, off-season lemons in Do Luong are still yielding a good harvest and fetching good prices.
(Baonghean.vn) - While other lemon-growing areas are dying due to drought, farmers in Thong Nhat hamlet, Dong Son commune (Do Luong district) are delighted and excited because their lemon harvest is abundant and prices are good.
On a 0.5-hectare plot of land, Ms. Thai Thi Thu's family in Thong Nhat hamlet, Dong Son commune, planted 250 lemon trees. During this hot weather, she and her family members harvested 3.5 tons of lemons. Lemon harvesting takes place daily, yielding about 120 kg each day, bringing in 1.8 million VND per day.
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Ms. Thai Thi Thu is harvesting lemons in her garden. Photo: Ngoc Phuong |
To have lemons to sell during the hot summer days, Ms. Thu said that some days she has to water the lemon trees until midnight to prevent them from wilting. But the reward for that hard work is the high price of the lemons. While last year lemons were only sold for 7,500 VND/kg, this year the price has doubled to 15,000 VND/kg.
Compared to other established crops like oranges and Thong Nhat green tea, lemon trees are more resilient. In the entire hamlet of 296 households, almost every family grows lemons. Some households cultivate 1 to 2 sao (approximately 1000 square meters), while others cultivate 1 hectare.
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| Thong Nhat lemons are juicy and sell for 15,000 VND/kg. Photo: Ngoc Phuong |
Lemon trees are very well suited to the soil here. Many households have been growing lemons for decades. Ms. Ta Thi Hai said that lemons are easier to grow than other fruit trees, with an average yield of 30 kg of fruit per tree.
In front of a vast orchard of bright, juicy lemons, many traders have come directly to the gardens this year to buy them. For example, Mr. Bui Van Nhung in Do Luong goes to the lemon orchards of households in the village every day to buy over 100 kg of lemons to sell at Luong market, at a price of 20,000 VND/kg, earning a profit of 500,000 - 600,000 VND per day.
In Thong Nhat hamlet, there are dozens of hectares of lemon trees. This year's off-season lemon crop is bountiful, with farmers harvesting hundreds of tons of fruit. It is expected that as the dry season continues into July and August, the price of off-season lemons will continue to rise. This will further increase the income of lemon growers.
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| Families prepare lemons for traders who come to buy them. Photo: Ngoc Phuong |
In the Do Luong region, during the hot season, lemon trees have proven to be drought-resistant and highly economically efficient. Lemons are a fruit rich in vitamin C, which helps boost immunity and cool the body, making them a popular choice for many consumers.
"Besides oranges and tea plants, lemon trees grown in our area are very effective, with an average income of 50 million VND per hectare of lemon trees. We are encouraging people to expand the area for off-season lemon cultivation."