Quảng Ngãi has five mountainous districts, among which, Sơn Tây district stands out with its efforts to focus on developing specialized fruit cultivation areas to create additional income for farmers.
In an interview with reporters, Mr. Phạm Hồng Khuyến - Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Sơn Tây district said that since 2018, the district has been actively supporting farmers in developing fruit trees such as green-skinned pomelo, ruby guava, durian, mốc banana, macadamia... The entire district has over 100 hectares of fruit trees, and these trees are growing well, being welcomed by the market, and bringing considerable income to the people. In particular, the district is also actively supporting cooperatives and enterprises in developing post-harvest processing industries. Many new cooperatives have been established and are operating effectively.
Visiting the fruit garden of Mr. Đỗ Thanh Vượt - Chairman of the People's Committee of Sơn Long commune, we were amazed by the richness and lushness of trees such as durian, guava, and crunchy persimmon... Mr. Vượt shared that he started growing fruit trees seven years ago, using organic farming methods and not using pesticides, so his products are loved by the market. Compared to other crops, durian brings high economic value.
Mr. Vượt said that in the commune, there are about 30 hectares of ruby guava, and it is expected to expand to about 60-70 hectares. In the near future, the locality will encourage people with conditions to try planting a few durian trees to get familiar with the planting techniques. After that, the authorities will consider long-term directions to expand the durian planting model. “I am ready to guide people on how to plant and care for fruit trees, helping people earn additional income from new crops,” Mr. Vượt expressed.
According to Mr. Phạm Hồng Khuyến, some localities in the district have organized linkages in the product chain from production to consumption, in the form of cooperatives, enterprises, and farmers working together. This has changed people's perception from small-scale production to developing production towards commercialization. People are assured of production when their products are guaranteed by cooperatives and cooperative groups.
“With new agricultural thinking and the support of local authorities, agricultural cooperatives, many agricultural and forestry products of Sơn Tây district will have a sustainable place in the market, contributing to improving the quality of life for people in highland areas,” Mr. Khuyến emphasized.
