Forest tree seedling production in Con Cuong

(Baonghean) - Con Cuong district has nearly 154,600 hectares of forest and forestry land, accounting for 88.91% of the total natural land area. Currently, the Chi Khe Seedling Cooperative provides quality seedlings to local people and creates jobs for many local laborers.

At the Australian acacia and other forestry tree nursery covering over 1 hectare belonging to the Chi Khe Seedling Cooperative in Tien Thanh village, Chi Khe commune, Con Cuong district, workers are carrying out various tasks from soil preparation, bagging, sowing seeds, and watering the seedlings.

From the beginning of 2015 until now, the cooperative has sold 1 million seedlings and is preparing to cultivate another 600,000 seedlings to supply enough for people to develop production.

Workers at the cooperative earn an average income of 4 million VND per month. (In the photo, c)Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong from Tien Thanh village, Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong district) said: "Previously, my job was unstable, but now that I'm working at the cooperative and receiving a monthly salary, my family's life is much better."

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Trung, the head of the cooperative, said: In 1999, the UEC project of the European Union supported the reforestation of barren hills and mountains in Con Cuong district by establishing a nursery model to provide quality seedlings to the people in the commune. He participated in building the model, which proved effective, providing many plant varieties to the people. After the project ended, recognizing the benefits of the forest, he maintained the nursery to provide seedlings to the people in the district.

Seedling propagation at Chi Khe Cooperative.

Currently, the Chi Khe Seedling Cooperative supplies various types of seedlings, including acacia, rosewood, teak, and black ebony, as well as fruit trees, to the markets in Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, and Ky Son districts. On average, each seedling is sold to farmers for 500-1,000 VND/plant.

The cooperative also encouraged people in the surrounding area to contribute capital and labor to build nurseries, and thanks to this collaboration, some families gradually escaped poverty.

Mr. NNguyen Ngoc Trung, Chairman of the Cooperative, inspects and cares for the newly planted seedlings.

Mr. Ho Dang Tai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district, said: "Con Cuong has 13 communes and towns, of which 10 are located in particularly difficult areas and benefit from the Government's Decree 135. All communes and towns are involved in forest planting, and their main income comes from forestry. The Chi Khe Seedling Cooperative was established in a very suitable and necessary way, and is a good model that should be replicated in mountainous districts."

As one of the first collective economic models in the mountainous district of Con Cuong, the Chi Khe Seedling Cooperative is effectively exploiting the potential of the area, contributing together with the government and people to raising the forest cover rate to the highest in the entire province at 78%.

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