Happiness for dragon fruit farmers

Currently, the price of dragon fruit has increased, so farmers are excited

From the beginning of 2023 until now, China simultaneously opened the customs clearance of goods to facilitate the import of Vietnamese agricultural products, including dragon fruit. On average, Long An province exports over 2,500 tons/week. As a result, the purchase price of dragon fruit reached over 20,000 VND/kg, many gardeners are excited.

Chairman of Long An Dragon Fruit Association - Nguyen Quoc Trinh said: “When the price of dragon fruit dropped, many farmers did not take care of their garden, so pests attacked. Therefore, when China reopens, the price of dragon fruit increases, there is not enough supply." However, the Provincial Dragon Fruit Association recommends that farmers should not rely too much on the Chinese market. Farmers should grow clean, organic dragon fruit to access markets such as Japan, Korea, etc.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Trinh added: "Growing according to export standards to China, but your country closes the border gate, it will be difficult for dragon fruit to export to other markets, including domestic consumption. The association has coordinated with related sectors to recommend that farmers grow dragon fruit organically and alternately; to split the market and not concentrate on one market like China. Instead, it is possible to exploit the domestic market or other difficult markets.”

To demonstrate the benefits and efficiency from organic dragon fruit cultivation, Mr. Trinh introduced us to a dragon fruit garden of more than 2.4 hectares in Thanh Phu Long commune. Instead of using chemical drugs to repel insects, the farmers pour Comfort fabric softener into bottles and hang them on each dragon fruit tree. Weeding is completely manual. After weeding, farmers take advantage of grass to cover the base of dragon fruit instead of straw. In particular, the treatment method for dragon fruit is completely by chili, garlic, etc. With the above methods, the organic dragon fruit garden is contracted to sell products at a fixed price of 25,000 VND/kg in the domestic market.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Bac (Thanh Phu Long commune) shared: “In the beginning, when we first planted organically, we worked many times harder than using chemical fertilizers and pesticides; I also have to change the way of repelling insects regularly. Specifically, in 2021, I repel insects with a sticky broiler, this year, I repel them with fabric softener. Although it is hard, the price is stable, not worried about output, not dependent on the Chinese market."

The export of dragon fruit is exciting. However, if the farmers follow a market like China, it will be difficult to improve product quality. Therefore, safe and organic farming is the inevitable direction of modern agriculture. At the same time, the farmers should change from agricultural production thinking to agricultural economy in order to help dragon fruit reach difficult markets and stabilize output in the long term, contributing to raising the level of local agricultural products, improving quality of the people’s life./.

By Le Ngoc - Translated by P.Ngan

Source: https://baolongan.vn/niem-vui-cho-nong-dan-trong-thanh-long-a149604.html