From early morning, people in many highland communes of Son La went to gardens and fields to harvest pumpkins that were old. Pumpkins after being cut are transported home, sorted and stacked in piles for traders to weigh, collect and take them for consumption.
The pumpkin has a dark green skin, covered with a layer of white powder, cylindrical shape, with a common weight of 3-5kg. When cut, the flesh is yellow, the flesh is thick, firm and has a characteristic aroma.
Fragrant green squash with yellow flesh is a local variety grown by Son La people for many years, previously mainly on corn fields. This squash variety is suitable for the climate and soil conditions in the locality.
From pumpkins, people can process them into many dishes such as boiled, stir-fried with garlic, and bone soup. When cooked, pumpkin meat has flexibility and a characteristic aroma.
Mr. Lo Van Tien's family, Tong Hum village, has nearly 1ha of fragrant green squash with yellow flesh. This is the 4th crop that his family has maintained this squash variety.
This year's crop, his family has harvested and sold almost all the output. A part of the remaining squash is taken to the market near his house for retail sale.
The price traders buy at the garden is about 8,000-10,000 VND/kg, retail is about 15,000 VND/kg. This crop, the family earned more than 200 million VND" - Mr. Tien shared.
According to Mr. Tien, nearly 1ha of squash yields about 20-22 tons each year. The tree does not require much care, has few pests and diseases, while the output is relatively stable, so the family continues to maintain production.
In Ai Muong village, Mr. Lo Van Chung - Village Head, said that in the past 3-4 years, many households have started to switch from growing long green squash to fragrant yellow-flesh green squash.
“In the village, there are currently about 20 households growing, with an area of several thousand square meters to nearly 1 hectare per household. When the season comes, traders come to the place to buy, so people are assured to produce,” Mr. Chung said.
Ms. Lo Thi Duyen, in Quyet Thang sub-area, Mai Son commune, also maintains growing fragrant green squash with yellow flesh through many crops. This crop, her family harvested about 4 tons.
Green squash with fragrant yellow flesh is easy to grow, has few pests and diseases, and does not require much care. The fruit is medium in weight, so harvesting and transportation are also convenient" - Ms. Duyen said.
According to growers, when the pumpkin vines begin to wilt, the fruit turns old and is covered with white powder, it is the time to harvest. From planting to harvesting takes about 5-6 months.
In addition to Chieng An ward, fragrant winter melon with yellow flesh is grown in many other localities such as Van Ho, Moc Chau, Chieng Sung, Muong Bu, Thuan Chau, Muoi Noi... The whole province has over 150ha of fragrant winter melon with yellow flesh.
Ms. Pham Thanh Luong, who has been purchasing fragrant green squash with yellow flesh for many years in Son La, said that it is the peak season, so the amount of squash brought to the market is increasing. Each year, her family purchases about 200 tons, taking them to the northern provinces.
Green squash with fragrant yellow flesh has a characteristic aroma in the stem, leaves, flowers and fruit. The flavor of the fruit depends heavily on climate, water source and soil conditions, so when grown elsewhere, it may not retain its aroma like in the highlands of Son La.
From field plants, fragrant green squash with yellow flesh is gradually becoming a commodity product, helping people in Son La have more income.
