Sweet fruit on difficult land

(Baonghean) - When the major roads were opened, many prospects were opened for district 30a Tuong Duong to escape poverty, including the prospect of developing passion fruit trees.

Speaking of Tuong Duong, first of all, this is the district with the largest natural area among the districts in the country with more than 2.8 million km2 (3 times the area of ​​Bac Ninh province and twice the area of ​​Thai Binh province); the terrain is quite complicated, some areas in Nhon Mai, Mai Son, Huu Khuong and Tam Hop communes have high altitudes, often the residence of Mong ethnic people; the climate is harsh, production practices are still backward, people do not have the mindset of commodity production. These can be considered the "strongholds" of self-sufficient production thinking and the mindset of waiting and relying.

Passion fruit growing model of Nhon Mai Border Guard Station (Tuong Duong). Photo: Cong Kien

Recently, we had the opportunity to travel along Tay Nghe An road - a major road running along the border, connecting the remote districts of Ky Son, Tuong Duong and Que Phong.

Arriving at Tham Tham village, Nhon Mai commune (Tuong Duong), the Mong and Khmu people here cleared the hillsides and dug holes in straight rows; in some places, she had even erected support poles and stretched steel wires to plant passion fruit. Asking the people, she also said: "The village is preparing for the passion fruit planting season, almost every household is planting with the hope that this will be the tree that will help the village escape poverty, creating conditions for them to become rich...".

Meet Va Ba Ka - Secretary of the Tham Tham village Party Cell, the person who received the contract to plant 269 passion fruit trees in the pilot project implemented nearly 2 years ago. Arriving at the house, seeing the "door closed and bolted", going to the passion fruit garden, I met Va Ba Ka and his wife, who were busy trimming the passion fruit vines, carrying their nearly 4-month-old baby on their backs.

And Ba Ka said: "Very busy, having to weed and trim this old garden, clearing land, digging holes, and building trellises to expand the area, so there is no time to rest."

In Tham Tham, 17/20 households have registered to grow lemons (the remaining 3 households are too old to have the health conditions). Va Ba Ka's current passion fruit garden was planted in 2015 as a pilot model of the district. The first crop yielded more than 100 million VND, much higher income than traditional crops such as corn, rice, peaches, plums... Therefore, this year, his family converted most of the garden area to grow passion fruit, planning to add nearly 500 trees.

In Tham Tham, there are 6 other households that have been piloting passion fruit cultivation since 2015 and have had high incomes in the first harvest. Now, they continue to expand their acreage.

Visit the Nhon Mai Border Post's garden. With the advantage of human resources, the passion fruit here has been weeded and pruned cleanly, promising another bumper crop.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Tung - Station Chief said: "At the end of 2015, we planted 1 hectare for a pilot project. The first crop brought in over 100 million VND, not including the portion for personal use and as gifts for the families of officers and soldiers. Seeing the border guards and 7 households in Tham Tham village working effectively, most of the remaining households registered to convert their swidden fields to grow passion fruit."

On this occasion, Chairman of Nhon Mai Commune People's Committee - Mr. Luong Xuan Hiep is staying day and night in Tham Tham to supervise and direct the implementation of passion fruit planting. Mr. Hiep said that Tham Tham village of Nhon Mai is only more than 10 kilometers from the center of Tri Le commune (Que Phong) - the "capital" of passion fruit in Western Nghe An, Tay Nghe An road is open, Tham Tham has the opportunity to escape poverty and gradually become rich.

The gentle hillsides that have been used for years to grow corn and rice have now been replaced by passion fruit trees. After Tham Tham, some places with cold climate conditions such as Huoi Co and Xoi Voi will also be planted with passion fruit; it is expected that in 2017, the whole Nhon Mai commune will plant about 10 hectares with great hope for economic efficiency.

Mr. Va Ba Ka's high-yielding passion fruit garden in Tham Tham village, Nhon Mai commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Cong Kien

While leading the district's working delegation to Nhon Mai to research and survey to implement the policy of expanding passion fruit growing area, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee said that for many years, the district has sought solutions to promote socio-economic development for remote and border communes, but has not yet found a suitable direction.

Now, the development direction for the high altitude, cold climate villages has been found, which is the development of passion fruit trees. Before, corn and rice were grown for many years on poor soil, and raising livestock and poultry also encountered many difficulties, especially in the cold rainy season when they often died of disease...

Passion fruit trees will take advantage of land, climate and human resources, promote commodity development thinking, bringing high economic efficiency. At the same time, transportation is convenient, product output is guaranteed, and a business has committed to purchasing all passion fruit in the area.

Along with Nhon Mai commune, Tuong Duong district will implement planting in some villages with similar climate conditions such as Mai Son, Huu Khuong and Tam Hop communes. According to the plan, the whole district this year will have more than 30 hectares of passion fruit, contributing to job creation and increasing income for farmers in "difficult" areas.

From the passion fruit plantation on the gentle hillside, we looked down the Tay Nghe An road winding between the Nam Hy river and the immense mountain range. The village was flourishing, the trucks going back and forth were full of goods, the road that had been a dream for many generations had come true.

Looking at that road, I think of the corridor connecting passion fruit growing areas, from the “capital” Tri Le (Que Phong) to Nhon Mai, Mai Son (Tuong Duong). And tomorrow it could be Muong Long (Ky Son) - the place considered the Sa Pa of Nghe An. Not simply a road for travel, the Tay Nghe An route also has the meaning of awakening potential.

Leaving Tham Tham, leaving Nhon Mai land when people are busy with the new passion fruit planting season, carrying the hope that on the return trip, they will witness the great changes of the people from the passion fruit gardens full of fruit - continuing the "sweet fruit" seasons that contribute to building a prosperous life in this difficult land...

Cong Kien