Awakening the hills with technology
Few people think that the hills that used to be only covered in the green of acacia and mixed fruit trees in Luong Son commune, Phu Tho province, are now becoming destinations for juicy grape clusters.
In 2022, after a period of learning about climate and soil conditions, Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung, owner of Quang Trung Garden House, Luong Son commune, boldly invested 2 hectares of land to plant 1,400 grapevines imported from Korea.
This is a grape variety that is considered "difficult", requiring strict care processes and high technology application.
To adapt the plants, Mr. Trung invested nearly 1.5 billion VND/ha to build a greenhouse system, drip irrigation, misting combined with semi-automatic fertilization.
At that time, not many people dared to bring this grape variety to plant because of the high cost, complex techniques and many risks.
The early days were very hard, from the weather to the technique, everything had to be done and learned at the same time. But I believe that if the technology is applied correctly, the vine will adapt and bring efficiency," Mr. Trung shared.
Sweet fruit from new thinking
From the results of the first crop to now, moving to the 3rd crop of fruit harvest, the grape trellises laden with fruit have proven that the gardeners' direction is correct. This year's harvest yield reached more than 10 tons, averaging 10-15kg of fruit per tree.
Thanks to the application of technology, the tree grows stably year-round, is less affected by weather, pests and diseases are well controlled, and the fruit quality is uniform. The entire area has been certified VietGAP and completed the dossier to participate in the OCOP Program.
Stains of golden grapes, thin skin, clear sweetness, and characteristic crispness are sold right at the garden at a price of 230,000 VND/kg, much lower than imported single grapes but still ensuring quality.
Mulberry grapes (also known as milky grapes) are considered one of the high-end grape varieties favored by consumers thanks to their characteristic aroma, light sweetness, crispness and can be eaten with the skin.
Not only has high economic value, this fruit is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and many antioxidants.
In particular, the abundant polyphenol content helps support heart and blood vessel protection, while essential micronutrients contribute to supplementing nutrition for women, children and people at risk of anemia. These advantages make peas always in the group of high-end fruits sought after by the market.
Not only selling products, gardeners also open their doors to welcome visitors and experience. On weekends, many families from Hanoi and neighboring localities come to pick grapes with their own hands and enjoy them right in the garden.
Ms. Nguyen Kieu Linh, a tourist from Hoa Binh ward, said that she was really surprised by the scale and beauty of the vineyard.
Eating grapes right at the tree has a sweet, crispy and fragrant taste, completely different from products bought on the market. The price is also much more reasonable than imported milky grapes, so my family is very reassured to choose," she said.
Not only attracting visitors, the model has also become an address for many farmers to learn from experience. Mr. Le Quoc Quy, Phu Nghia commune, Hanoi city, said that after being introduced by friends, he directly came to learn about the model.
Seeing Mr. Trung's methodical investment, I really admire the spirit of daring to think and dare to do. The actual effectiveness made me decide to convert a part of the orange growing area to grape growing," Mr. Quy shared.
Opening new development directions
According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung, the greatest joy is not only the bumper grape seasons but also the fact that more and more people know about local products. Gardeners always put quality first, complying with VietGAP procedures to create trust for consumers.
From the achieved efficiency, this year, gardeners continue to expand the scale of planting an additional 500 red Ruby grape trees and 500 black Ruby trees, continuing to develop an agricultural model combined with experiential tourism.
From hilly areas that used to only have forest trees, today's model grape trellises not only bring economic value but also open up new directions for high-tech agriculture in the locality.
When technology meets the innovation aspirations of farmers, sweet fruit seasons will continue to extend on the land of Luong Son.
