Brand positioning "Cao Phong orange"
Traveling along National Highway 6 connecting Hanoi Capital and the Northwestern provinces, people cannot help but admire the orange gardens stretching like a green steppe of Cao Phong district.
Cao Phong oranges are known as a specialty of Muong Hoa Binh land thanks to their superior quality characteristics compared to many similar products on the market such as: Fresh, sweet taste, juicy, natural deep yellow fruit with thick pulp and characteristic aroma. Even the most fastidious people, if they have enjoyed it once, will definitely be satisfied when enjoying the unique flavor that cannot be mistaken for other types of oranges. Eating a fragrant orange segment, the person's heart is relaxed as if they are fully enjoying the fresh nature of the Northwest spreading in the mouth.
According to the report of the People's Committee of Hoa Binh province, currently, Cao Phong district has about 1,800 hectares of citrus fruit trees, with an output of over 20,000 tons/crop year. Of which, many areas are produced according to VietGAP process, product quality is highly appreciated and favored by the market.
In late December, a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper was present at a garden of more than 7 hectares with about 8,000 orange trees owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen (Cao Phong town, Cao Phong district). According to the records, the oranges were at their peak ripeness, and the atmosphere was bustling and urgent for harvesting.
Quickly cutting the ripe oranges in time for the traders to pick them up, Ms. Huyen said that her orange garden mixed yellow-fleshed oranges and oranges in the middle. If the garden is well cared for, the orchard can have a business cycle of more than 20 years. Ms. Huyen's orange garden is now 16 years old, the quality of the oranges is delicious and meets VietGAP standards.
Normally, the orange ripening season will start from the end of September of the previous year and last until the end of April of the following year. The expected harvest output is about 70 - 80 tons/crop year, including yellow-heart oranges and sugar oranges. Sugar oranges have a very high value in the market, the price at the garden ranges from 60,000 - 70,000 VND/kg, the price of yellow-heart oranges ranges from 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg.
This year, the weather is favorable for harvesting oranges. Because there has been little rain in the past two months, sunny days and dewy nights are very good for ripening oranges, increasing their sweetness.
“A good harvest and good price is the common joy of my family and the orange growers here,” Ms. Huyen confided.
Orange trees are extremely demanding, requiring investment in care to produce high yields. Growing oranges according to VietGAP standards must ensure organic fertilization. There are years when harvest is near and you think things are going well, but then you encounter a storm or weather condition or just make a mistake in some care step, which will lead to a price drop, sometimes losing the entire crop.
To ensure healthy growth of crops, pest and disease control is carried out regularly and promptly. In recent years, Cao Phong people have applied integrated control methods and used microbial pesticides. Orange growers have been trained by Cao Phong Farm Association on soil treatment techniques, planting techniques, care and disease prevention, ensuring VietGAP standard output for products.
Cao Phong oranges are becoming a key crop in local agricultural development. Because they bring high economic efficiency to farmers, many households have escaped poverty and become rich from here.
Another orange harvest season has begun, this season Ms. Huyen's orange garden is expected to earn more than 1 billion VND, before deducting expenses. From the hands of farmers, sweet fruits have appeared from barren lands.
Currently on the market there are many types of oranges labeled as Cao Phong oranges, the prices of these products vary greatly, some places are only 10,000 VND/kg.
To avoid confusion with Cao Phong oranges on the market, consumers have many options, buying products at reputable distribution systems, ordering online from gardeners or orange production and trading cooperatives in Cao Phong district, buying products with packaging, electronic traceability stamps, and the geographical indication logo "Cao Phong Orange".
Attractive appearance, good quality, all are clean oranges with protected geographical indications. So it is easy to understand that here, every day, there are hundreds of tons of oranges for sale and consumption, not to mention the wholesale channel and large orders.
Promoting tourism advantages
Cao Phong oranges always have a special attraction that makes many tourists from all over the world eager to come. For many years now, the ripe orange season has become an attractive tourism product of the district. Like Ms. Huyen's orange garden, in addition to harvesting, every weekend she welcomes many tour groups to visit and experience a day as a farmer here.
The orange trees in Cao Phong district, Hoa Binh province are in harvest season. Every tree is full of fruit, making everyone fascinated when visiting. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang (29 years old), an excited tourist, shared: "Coming to Cao Phong district at the end of the year, I am very impressed because this place possesses many values of a livable countryside with beautiful natural scenery, fresh climate, peaceful life, friendly people. Especially, at this time, this place is full of the sweet, fresh aroma of oranges".
Since 2015, to promote the local orange brand, the People's Committee of Cao Phong district has organized the annual Cao Phong Orange Festival, attracting a large number of people, tourists and economic sectors to participate in the festival, visit the garden, enjoy and trade.
This is a special mark, aiming to promote the most typical, outstanding and proud agricultural product brand of the district, while contributing effectively to preserving and developing the Cao Phong orange brand - the first and only agricultural product up to now in the province to be granted a certificate of protection of Geographical Indication.
According to Mr. Ngo Thanh Tung - Deputy Director of Tay Bac Media and Tourism Company, during Cao Phong orange season, many gardeners still have activities for tourists to visit and choose to buy oranges at the garden. Tourists coming to Cao Phong at this time will have interesting and unforgettable experiences.
“Coming to Cao Phong at the end of the year, tourists will have a wonderful experience when visiting the orange garden, seeing with their own eyes the clusters of ripe, heavy fruit. Tourists can also cut oranges and enjoy them right in the garden. These are unforgettable experiences, making countless tourists come back every time Cao Phong is in the orange ripening season,” Mr. Tung commented.
Speaking with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Viet Phuong - Vice Chairman of Cao Phong District People's Committee said: "The district is synchronously implementing solutions to exploit the value of orange trees, including turning typical agricultural products into an attractive tourism brand, so that more and more tourists come here to enjoy the sweet aroma of Cao Phong oranges".
