Green island in the heart of industrial hub

The fragance of pomelo spreads far

I traveled to Bach Dang island in the sweltering humidity of mid-May. However, the air was cooler and more subdued as I crossed the Bach Dang bridge over the Dong Nai River.

The island of Bach Dang was endowed with fully developed infrastructure, a phosphate route, and verdant, fresh orchards on both sides of the road. This is an uncommon location in Binh Duong that is neither an industrial zone nor contaminated by industrial emissions. Due to the river Dong Nai's embrace, the small island has a mild climate, and fertile soil, and is home to a variety of renowned fruits, including pomelo.

Duong Van Minh (67 years old) is a well-known pomelo cultivator in the region on the island of Bach Dang. Numerous farmers visited his plantation to gain knowledge. Minh is neither the longest pomelo cultivator nor the one with the greatest pomelo growth area (2,300 square meters), but his orchard is one of three exemplary ones in the Bach Dang commune.

As I observed Minh's pomelo orchard, I felt great excitement. I've seen many pomelo orchards that are dozens of years old and producing fewer fruits, but Minh's orchard is large and appears to be in good health due to appropriate care. His pomelo comes in a variety of sizes, which only a few farms are able to cultivate.

Minh holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics and has knowledge of sowing techniques, maintenance, soil, climate, plant varieties, and the environment, among other things. Because of this, his pomelo garden is the most beautiful on the island of Bach Dang; the tree is very solid, the bark on its trunk is smooth, and it generates enormous branches.

Minh is not only skilled at taking care of pomelo trees, but he also produces wine, jam, and smoothies from citrus, and he is the only individual in Bach Dang with a production line to extract essential oils from pomelo rind.

Minh's pomelo garden has earned VietGAP certification, 3-star OCOP product certification, and he has practiced organic cultivation for many years. "Contributing to the development of clean, secure, and sustainable farming practices for people is purely a matter of devotion for me. As I may be a superior cultivator due to my knowledge, or because I speak better than most people, I frequently offer advice to my neighbors. But regardless of how excellent it is, I must demonstrate my actual result. Everyone appreciates my orchards," Minh chuckled.

Preserving essential worth

Not only Duong Van Minh but also other cultivators I encountered on the island of Bach Dang acknowledged the significance of preserving the traditional cultural values and specialties that nature had endowed the island with.

Duong Van Hoang (66 years old) of Binh Hung Village disclosed, "From 2010 onwards, the island rarely heard the noise of motorbikes; we use canoes for all activities, including trading, transporting agricultural products, and shopping at Tan Uyen market." Despite the difficulty, the past was tranquil. Before the bridge was built, the economy was bolstered and people began switching to motorcycles and automobiles. The lifestyle here appears to be as modern as that of the inland". 

The most thrilling aspect is that there are no industrial parks or factories, so we are not trapped in the cycle of smog and wastewater pollution. Currently, we are attempting to preserve the island's culturally and economically significant features, such as pagodas and ancient houses. There are six hamlets, six homes, five pagodas, a vihara, and two ancient dwellings that are less than 200 years old.

Regarding agriculture, our specialty is pomelo, which has long been our source of pride. The province has decided to construct a smart village in Bach Dang, a contemporary new rural area. It is a tremendous privilege. Then, we must increase the value of the island's agriculture and economy.

Hoang's family used to cultivate pomelo, millet, and other produce trees on 4ha of land, but now he and his wife have only 5 poles as an inheritance from his father. Hoang and his wife's "old nurturing" pomelo garden is of the orange leaf pomelo variety, and many trees that are over 20 years old are still yielding fruit.

After deducting expenses, Hoang and his wife's pomelo garden generates approximately 150 million VND annually, with a profit of approximately 100 million. Mrs. Phan Kim Vang, the wife of Hoang, is the first individual on the island of Bach Dang to produce pomelo wine. His family's citrus wine is currently well-known for its flavor. In addition to its sour, sweet flavor and citrus fragrance, the wine has a yellow hue comparable to that of foreign wines. According to Kim Vang, her relatives produce hundreds of liters of citrus wine annually, but not enough to sell.

Binh Duong province chose Bach Dang Island in 2020 as the first location to implement the project to establish a "model new rural commune associated with smart village construction" between 2021 and 2025. On the premise of employing science and technology to agricultural production combined with tourism development, the project aims to create a living environment that coexists harmoniously with nature while fostering socioeconomic development and sustainable infrastructure. Ms. Vo Thi Bao Xuyen, Chairwoman of the Bach Dang Commune People's Committee, stated that one of the project's main objectives is to develop a model for the cultivation of specialty pomelo, combining smart solutions to enhance agriculture and develop agricultural tourism.