Hung Yen "sweet" orange season

This is the result of supporting the transfer of orange growing techniques according to VietGAP standards by the Hung Yen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center.

After more than 10 years of growing oranges, this is probably the "sweetest" orange season for the people of Bui Xa village, because 20 hectares of oranges grown according to VietGAP standards have a good harvest and good price, much better than previous years.

This is what Mr. Luu Van Dan, Head of VietGAP Group, Bui Xa village, Dong Thanh commune, Kim Dong district, shared when he took us to visit the orange garden preparing for harvest season.

Mr. Dan said that in the past, people in Bui Xa village mainly grew sugarcane but the efficiency was not high, so they switched to growing oranges, mainly Vinh oranges. However, orange growing mainly depends on weather factors, as well as mutual learning experiences, so the yield is good one year, bad the next. This has led to a situation where many families are no longer interested in growing oranges.

Realizing that growing oranges according to VietGAP standards has been applied by many localities with clear results, when the Hung Yen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center implemented the model of "Intensive cultivation of VietGAP fruit trees", the villagers were very excited.

“With technical staff from the provincial agricultural extension center coming to the garden to hold hands, show us how to do it, and give us enthusiastic instructions on how to take care of the plants; and at the same time providing us with organic microbial fertilizers, we feel very secure and confident. The orange trees are full of fruit, with large, even fruits and beautiful appearance, proving the effectiveness of the model,” Mr. Dan said excitedly.

These days, Mr. Luu Duc Khanh's orange garden in Bui Xa village, Dong Thanh commune, Kim Dong district has many people coming to visit, because his family's 7 sao of oranges is expected to yield about 5 tons of oranges, something he never thought of before.

Mr. Khanh said that in the past, an orange tree would yield an average of 70 - 80 kg, but when grown according to VietGAP standards, the yield would be 90 - 100 kg/tree, with some trees yielding over 100 kg. Bright orange color, yellow skin, large, even fruit, low fiber ratio and sweet taste, these are the factors that help Bui Xa oranges in particular, and Dong Thanh oranges in general, affirm their brand in the market. With the current selling price of about 25,000 VND/kg, after deducting expenses, his family will earn about 140 million VND from 7 sao of oranges.

Ms. Ta Thi Quy, from Bui Xa village, said that through the process of experimentally growing many types of oranges, Vinh oranges are suitable for this land. Previously, due to not following the correct production process, the yield and quality of oranges were not high, making it difficult to compete in price with other orange regions on the market.

Although growing oranges according to VietGAP standards takes more effort, the cost is low, mainly due to microbial fertilizers, the fruit is beautiful and juicy, so the price is higher than in previous years. Currently, Ms. Quy is mobilizing labor to prune the bad oranges, and her family is expected to harvest them around early December. With the selling price at the garden fluctuating around 25,000 VND/kg and expected to be higher, this year, Ms. Quy's family will earn about 80 million VND from 4 sao of oranges.

Ms. Tran Thi Hue, an officer of the Hung Yen Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, said that in 2023, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center deployed the "VietGAP Fruit Tree Intensive Cultivation" model on an area of ​​65 hectares; including 20 hectares of guava in Hoan Long commune (Yen My district), 25 hectares of grapefruit in Pham Ngu Lao commune (Kim Dong district) and 20 hectares of oranges in Dong Thanh commune (Kim Dong district).

To make VietGAP orange cultivation truly effective, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center has directed staff to go to the gardens to guide farmers in producing and growing oranges according to VietGAP standards, strictly managing the production process from care, fertilization, pest control, harvesting, preservation and distribution of products. From there, fruit growing areas have been formed, becoming unique specialties in each region of Hung Yen.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hung Yen province Nguyen Van Trang, in the province there are some orange growing areas producing according to the value chain linkage, typically the communes: Quang Chau (Hung Yen city), Dong Thanh (Kim Dong), Tam Da (Phu Cu). Along with brand building, up to now, Hung Yen oranges have been granted a Collective Trademark Certificate by the Department of Intellectual Property.

For many years now, along with the specialty longan tree, orange trees have become the main tree for Hung Yen farmers to get rich. In particular, many localities in Phu Cu, Yen My, Kim Dong, An Thi, Van Giang, Khoai Chau districts and Hung Yen city have converted hundreds of hectares of low-efficiency rice and color fields to orange growing.

In the coming time, Hung Yen province will continue to transform the structure of varieties and crops towards increasing added value and economic efficiency; in which, the focus is on strengthening the construction and development of geographical indications, brands, and product packaging; effectively promoting the Project on applying stamps to trace the origin of agricultural products to protect the brand, affirm the quality and reputation of Hung Yen agricultural products to consumers.