Growing dragon fruit in Dong Du hamlet
(Baonghean) -Following the guidance of the Farmers' Association of Dong Hieu commune, we visited the dragon fruit growing model for high economic efficiency in Dong Du 1 hamlet. The wide concrete road connecting the inter-family groups in the hamlet is surrounded by dragon fruit gardens, pepper gardens, and green spinach gardens.
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| Ms. Vu Thi Dung discusses dragon fruit pruning techniques. |
Over the entire garden area of more than 500 m2, Ms. Vu Thi Dung has arranged to cover nearly 100 white-fleshed dragon fruit trees. Spring is the season of budding dragon fruit trees, so at each tree stake, the fresh dragon fruit shoots grow up, looking very eye-catching. Under each tree, Ms. Dung's family has trimmed and removed the secondary branches (shoots), leaving only the main shoots that will produce large fruits. Ms. Dung said: Around May is the time dragon fruit is harvested, 4 times a year, each time from flowering to fruit ripening is about 1 month. After more than 10 years of growing dragon fruit, only the first year the tree is in the basic construction period, the following 9 years have brought a stable income of 25 million VND/year. I calculate with the value of 500 m2If Dung's family gets it, each hectare will give an income of no less than 500 million VND.
Dragon fruit trees began to appear in Dong Du 1 in the 90s when Mr. Phan was the first person to bring the variety back to try planting, the purpose was only to grow ornamental plants, but then the dragon fruit "took root" and affirmed its economic efficiency in this land. The good thing about growing dragon fruit is that the initial investment cost is low, each hectare is only about 100 million VND (mainly invested in concrete piles), the seed source is self-balanced because it is very easy to grow, in addition, this type of tree has few pests and diseases, and can take advantage of the family's organic fertilizer source for fertilization. The "secret" to dragon fruit with large fruit, high yield, and high economic efficiency of Ms. Dung's family is to ensure the irrigation water source and when the tree sprouts, know how to prune the secondary branches. Thanks to that, Ms. Dung's family's white-fleshed dragon fruit has fruit weighing up to 700g. Dragon fruit grown in Dong Du 1 hamlet is large, sweet and has the characteristic flavor of the red soil region. On the fourth week of the week, traders come to the garden to buy and sell. From the effectiveness of the economic model of growing dragon fruit, many households in Dong Du 1 hamlet have focused on renovating mixed gardens and investing in concrete pillars for planting.
Comrade Nguyen Hong Nam, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Dong Hieu Commune, said: From the effectiveness of dragon fruit trees grown in home gardens, the Association is supporting a number of households with garden area conditions in terms of techniques and fertilizers to replicate the dragon fruit growing model. Specifically, the Association has supported member Ho Sy Hung's household with fertilizers and techniques. Mr. Hung's family invested nearly 40 million VND in pouring concrete piles, drilling water wells and planting on an area of 5,000 m2 according to the solution of growing spinach intercropped with dragon fruit trees. Up to now, the dragon fruit trees have begun to grow well.
The movement to renovate mixed gardens, grow fruit trees and vegetables for high economic efficiency has not only developed strongly in Dong Du 1 hamlet but also in Dong Du 2 hamlet. Along with Malabar spinach and pepper, dragon fruit has truly affirmed its high economic value, becoming a model of garden development that needs to be promoted and replicated, especially after land recovery for production.
Hong Son
