Ha Chau strawberries are in the top 100 gift specialties in Vietnam

Suitable for Phong Dien land

The Vietkings and Vietnam Top Center have jointly announced the list of the Top 100 specialty dishes and Top 100 outstanding gift specialties of 63 provinces and cities in the country (2021-2022). This is an activity in the journey to find and promote special dishes and specialties of Vietnam, with the following criteria: unique, unique, novel, bringing the breath of each locality. Can Tho city has 2 dishes on the list: grilled snail with green pepper and Ha Chau umami chicken. 

Phong Dien district is the "capital" of strawberries: langsat, green skin, Siamese strawberry, and the most delicious is Ha Chau strawberry. The first "old farmer" to successfully propagate Ha Chau strawberry was Mr. Ba Minh, residing in My Khanh commune. In the 1960s, Phong Dien was only an area specialized in honey orange cultivation. When the trees were sick, farmers suffered a lot of damage. Since then, Mr. Ba Minh has decided to convert plant varieties, grafting mulberry buds together. To distinguish it from other types of strawberries, he named it Ha Chau.

The economy from this fruit gives a good income, has been widely propagated locally and was recognized as a specialty of Can Tho City in 2016. Mr. Pham Van Hoang, residing in My Nhon hamlet, My Khanh commune, Phong Dien district proudly said: “The land in Phong Dien where I grow strawberries is very sweet because there is a lot of silt. Fruit here is sweeter than in other lands”.

This type of strawberry has many segments inside, is succulent, always stretchy. The inside of the fruit is long, slightly sparse, has a light yellow color, and has a sweet and aromatic taste. Mr. Tran Thien Canh, who cultivates 1 ha of Ha Chau strawberries in Nhon Ai commune, Phong Dien district, said the secret to growing sweeter strawberries is: "If you want strawberries to be sweet, you should choose a fertilizer with a lot of potassium. I choose German NPK fertilizer, its potassium content is high, so the strawberry is both shiny, beautiful, big, and sweet".

Ha Chau berry tree is very easy to grow, requires little effort to fertilize, and adapts to freshwater and alluvial soil. However, growers must learn the rules of combination to have fruit. Farmer Le Minh Nghia said: “100 berry trees must include 80 female berry trees and 20 male berry trees. With simultaneous blooming, the pistil of the male mulberry tree falls on the female mulberry tree to bear fruit". 

Connecting eco-tourism to the garden

It is the attractiveness of the composition of Ha Chau strawberries that has rekindled many creative ideas in cuisine. Many dishes and drinks are extracted from strawberries, or processed directly from strawberries to help improve the value chain of Ha Chau strawberries such as Ha Chau strawberry juice with gas, Ha Chau strawberry wine, and Ha Chau strawberry umami chicken. 

Ms. Tran Thi Khua, chef of Chin Hong eco-tourism area located in My Nhon hamlet, My Khanh commune shared: Now I have many types of strawberries, but I keep making the same dishes over and over again, so I tried to make strawberry braised chicken. I didn't expect the customers to order and compliment it. Phong Dien land is famous for strawberries, if anyone steps into Phong Dien land, their first dish should be strawberry braised chicken. If you don't choose this dish, it will be a mistake".

In 2000, the whole district of Phong Dien was only a few ha of berries. Now there is nearly 500 ha of Ha Chau strawberry cultivation, the biggest area is Nhon Ai commune with 226 ha, followed by Phong Dien town. Ha Chau strawberry is classified as a specialty and eco-tourism construction product of Phong Dien district now and in the long term.

Mr. Dao Ngoc Chi, Secretary of the Phong Dien District Party Committee, said that he is building institutions and infrastructure to welcome tourists with an expanded ecological model with Ha Chau strawberry trees as the highlight. “Phong Dien district identifies tourism as a spearhead economic sector and a clean economic sector of the district. The district implemented the resolution of the Party Committee of Phong Dien district for the 2020-2025 term, Previously, the district also had Resolution No. 07 of Can Tho City on building and developing Phong Dien district into an ecological urban area. Combining the two resolutions, the district will focus all resources to invest in infrastructure and improve the landscape and the future development of the tourism industry.

Ha Chau strawberries are ripe from August to November of the lunar calendar, this is the ideal time for tourists to choose tours and routes to the "kingdom" of Ha Chau strawberry in Can Tho city. They can enjoy unique dishes such as Strawberry braised chicken, Strawberry Jam, Strawberry jam, Strawberry wine, and Strawberry juice...

Ha Chau strawberries are also exported to Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand and are very popular. The selling price of strawberries purchased by traders at the garden is about VND15-18 thousand/kg. Retail at VND/25-30 thousand/kg. Ha Chau strawberry tree is dubbed the "tree that does not grow old" because the older it is, the wider its canopy, and the more fruit it gives. One ha of Ha Chau strawberry plantation can yield 15-20 tons of fruit, with a stable price of VND/10,000-15,000/kg, and gardeners can earn from VND150-200 million/year. Ha Chau strawberry has helped many gardeners in Phong Dien district change their lives.