The 'royal' orange orchard in Nghe An faces double difficulties during the Tet season.

Coming to Nghi Dien commune, Nghi Loc district in November, orange growers here seem to be busier because it has entered the "year-round" season, so everyone is busy taking care of the precious orange trees, which are the main source of income after a long year of investment and care. However, according to people, this year's orange crop is still facing many difficulties.

Having just picked up about 10 fallen oranges and put them neatly in the corner of the garden, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lieu, Phuong Son hamlet, Nghi Dien commune, said: When the oranges bloom and bear fruit, everyone is excited because the average number of fruits per tree this year is higher than in previous years. People thought they would have a bumper crop, but the heavy rains at the end of September caused the orange gardens to be flooded, especially those in low-lying areas. After the water receded, the oranges fell even though the peel was still green. Up to now, although the number of fallen fruits has decreased, the people's income has also decreased sharply.

Having said that, Mrs. Lieu pointed to an orange tree next to the fence, sadly saying: This tree is estimated to have nearly 200 fruits, generating an income of tens of millions of dong. Yet after the rains, fruits fall every day, and now there are only about 80 fruits left hanging on the tree, not knowing if they will last until Tet or not...

Not far away, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tham's family in Phuong Son hamlet is in a similar situation. Mrs. Tham's family has 120 Xa Doai orange trees with golden hearts, 4-6 years old. Although she has actively monitored the weather and dug drainage ditches next to the pond near the garden, Mrs. Tham's orange garden still cannot avoid damage.

Ms. Tham shared: “The characteristic of orange trees is that they cannot withstand flooding. This is the second consecutive year that orange growers in Nghi Dien commune have had to face unfavorable weather conditions in each orange crop… For my family alone, the number of oranges that have fallen is estimated to be in the hundreds since the rains at the end of September until now.”

Not only is the weather difficult, but currently, the Xa Doai orange trees in Nghi Dien are also attacked by insects, most of which are fruit flies. These insects appear from the time the fruit is still young, using their suckers to bore through the orange peel, causing the fruit to be damaged and fall off early. The punctured spot is black, soft, with small sap, difficult to detect. Only when looking closely on the surface of the fruit peel, black spots appear, then prevention is too late.

However, it is difficult to prevent this type of insect because if pesticides are used, it will affect the quality of the oranges. Manual measures such as wrapping the fruit or using lights to attract flies away from the orange garden have not been very effective. Therefore, this year, Xa Doai orange growers are facing a "double difficulty" of worrying about fruit falling and dealing with insects that destroy the oranges.

It is known that in Nghi Dien commune, there are currently dozens of households growing Xa Doai oranges with a golden heart on an area of ​​about 30 hectares. To maintain stable development, prevent pests and diseases, and preserve the precious orange variety, the local government is recommending that people take care of the trees in an organic way, both helping the trees grow well and protecting the environment in the long term.