Earning hundreds of millions of dong from growing fruit trees

(Baonghean.vn)- On high mountainous areas, people in the mountainous commune of Quynh Thang (Quynh Luu district) have switched from growing raw materials to growing fruit trees. This new economic development direction has helped many households earn hundreds of millions of VND/ha/year.

In 2013, Mr. Pham Xuan Thuy's family (Dong Xuan hamlet, Quynh Thang commune) boldly converted 1 hectare of raw material crops (sugarcane, cassava) to growing fruit trees.

After 3 years of planting and caring, 800 fruit trees such as oranges, tangerines and lemons are now ready for harvest. It is estimated that 1 hectare of fruit trees after harvest will yield more than 120 tons/crop. After deducting expenses, the family earns a profit of 250 million/ha.

2 hectares of fruit trees of Mr. Pham Xuan Thuy's family, Quynh Thang commune, Quynh Luu district, bring in an income of 250 million VND/ha.

Mr. Thuy said: “Growing fruit trees is much more economically efficient than growing sugarcane and cassava. Previously, 1 hectare of sugarcane after harvesting yielded about 45 tons and was sold for 850,000 VND/ton, earning an income of over 40 million VND/ha. Thus, the value of fruit trees is 5-6 times higher than that of sugarcane.”

Since 2012, Mr. Nguyen Van Toan's family has switched from growing sugarcane to growing oranges. In 2015, his family harvested 1 hectare of oranges.

Planting 1 hectare of fruit trees: oranges, tangerines, lemons gives a yield of over 120 tons/crop, earning hundreds of millions of VND/year, 10 times higher than growing raw materials.

His family harvests about 90 tons of fruit per hectare of oranges. The main varieties of oranges grown are Xa Doai and Vinh oranges, so they have high prices (from 40,000 VND to 50,000 VND/kg). After deducting expenses, his family earns a profit of 400 million VND/hectare, ten times higher than growing sugarcane and some other raw materials.

Mr. Toan excitedly said: "Next season, my family will plant 1 more hectare of oranges to develop the economy. The characteristic of growing fruit trees is that they are planted 2-3 meters apart, so pineapples and agarwood can be planted in the middle to increase the economy per unit of land area."

On the fruit growing land, people intercrop pineapple to increase income.

Currently, many households in Quynh Thang commune have boldly converted dozens of hectares of land from growing raw materials to growing crops to develop the economy. On average, households after converting to growing fruit trees have an income of 150-200 million VND/year.

The entire Quynh Thang commune has about 50 hectares of land converted to growing fruit trees on a concentrated scale. The fruit trees that people are growing are oranges, tangerines and lemons. These fruit varieties bring higher income than some other fruit trees.

Mr. Le Van Nga - Chairman of Quynh Thang Commune People's Committee said: The locality has nearly 700 hectares of raw material growing area, mainly sugarcane, cassava root and pineapple growing area.

In recent years, in addition to encouraging people to develop valuable raw material plants such as agarwood roots, the locality also requires converting some areas of raw material planting to fruit tree planting to increase economic value.

According to statistics, there are currently about 50 hectares of raw material growing area that have been converted to growing fruit trees on a concentrated scale. This is a sustainable economic development direction, creating a breakthrough in transforming the crop structure, bringing economic benefits to local people.

Viet Hung