Fruit growing areas see higher profits thanks to the VietGAP application

With funding from the national agricultural extension budget, the south-central province of Khanh Hoa has implemented the project "Building a fruit growing model applying VietGAP".

Le Van Chung from Nam village, Song Cau Commune, Khanh Vinh District said that joining the project, his family was selected a model of intensive farming of green-skinned pomelo trees in an area of ​​4 sao (equally to 1,000 sq.m). 

His family grew pomelos for five years and the pomelo trees started to bear fruit stably. He also invested VND 4 million per sào for an irrigation system.

Under the project, Chung received support including bio-fertilizers, pesticides, fruit wrapping materials and monthly garden inspections. Farmers participating in the project were trained by the project's agricultural extension staff about skills in planting and caring for fruit trees, especially citrus, applying VietGAP standards. 

According to Chung, the project has brought practical effects to citrus production and business in Khanh Vinh when ​​fruit trees have been grown massively recently in this mountainous district.

Ho Thi Thanh Huong, a farmer in Quang Phuc village, Cam Thanh Nam, Cam Ranh City is also very happy because her family's custard apple garden was chosen by the project to implement both intensive farming models with an area of ​​2 sào of custard and planted new two sào of Thai custard-apple varieties. 

Her 8- sào custard apple farm has been stably harvested in the last few years with an average net profit of VND15 million per sào.

Huong said that thanks to the project support, for the last three years, the investment in fertilisers, pesticides and agricultural materials have been reduced in cost. The project also supports new planting varieties, and instructs farmers on farming techniques such as pruning, fertilizing, pollinating, washing fruit, etc. 

The effectiveness has increased significantly

According to the Center for Agriculture Promotion, Khanh Hoa province has many advantageous fruit trees that are thriving in many specialised farming areas such as apples and custards in Cam Thanh Nam (Cam Ranh City); Khanh Vinh green-skinned pomelo. However, support for this crop transformation is limited. Therefore, the project on building a model of planting and intensive farming of fruit trees, applying VietGAP standards implemented by the National Center for Agricultural Extension in the South Central region was very practically meaningful.

Agricultural Extension Centre has selected 3 fruit trees to support including green skin pomelo, custard apple and apple. Each model includes new planting and intensive cultivation of the fruit trees with a scale of 2 - 5 ha, attracting 5 - 20 households to a model. The whole province has a total of 14 hectares implemented in such farming models including 11ha for growing three types of fruit trees and 3ha for intensive cultivation.

The National Agricultural Extension Centre supports new varieties (for new planting models), agricultural materials, fertilizers, and pesticides.

At the same time, the centre guides and propagates farmers to practice farming according to the VietGAP process to improve high quality, product output, and increase market competitiveness.

Vo Thi Bich Chi, an officer in charge of the branch project in Khanh Hoa province said that in the new model of growing pomelo trees, the tree grew well with a firm canopy, the average height of 2 metres, flowering, producing an average of 1-2 fruits per tree. In the model of intensive cultivation of pomelo trees, the average yield is 45 tons/ha/year, an increase of 20 per cent compared to the outside model. 

A new model of apple tree planting sees an average yield of 25 tons per ha. The model of intensive apple tree cultivation sees an average yield of 50 tons/ha/year, 16 per cent higher compared to those outside the model. With the average selling price of VND10,000 per kg, after deducting expenses, the profit is VND399 million per ha, up 31.6 per cent compared to those outside the model.