As the main harvest season begins, farmers in the Phu Trach grapefruit mecca are delighted to count their fruits and profits.
Phu Trach grapefruit is dubbed the “number one specialty fruit” of Ha Tinh province. This variety is mainly cultivated in Huong Khe district, which is also the largest growing area in Central Vietnam.
Huong Khe currently has approximately 2,768 hectares of Phu Trach grapefruit plantations, mostly found in the communes of Phu Trach, Huong Trach, Huong Do, Loc Yen, Gia Pho, Huong Thuy, and Huong Giang.
These days, locals are busy harvesting the main crop of grapefruit. In the vast gardens, laughter, chatter, and haggling between farmers and traders fill the air.
With over 400 mature grapefruit trees, this year, Mr. Tran Van Khan (61 years old, from Huong Thuy commune, Huong Khe district) expects to harvest around 30,000 fruits, earning him nearly VND 500 million. Due to favorable weather conditions, Mr. Khan had to hire three additional helpers for the grapefruit harvest.
“Although the yield is lower than previous years, the price is stable, and the fruits are uniform and sweet. At the beginning of the season, my family sold about 5,000 fruits weighing between 0.8 and 1.3 kg each, priced at VND 25,000-30,000 per fruit directly from the garden,” said Mr. Khan with a smile.
“Overall, the quality of the grapefruit this year is better than previous years, and traders are buying in large quantities to send to the North. As the rainy season is approaching, farmers are rushing to harvest the grapefruit, and everyone is happy because this year’s crop is a success,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (45 years old, from Huong Khe).
When ripe, Phu Trach grapefruit has a yellow-green color. The flesh is light pink, sweet, and not bitter. Notably, Phu Trach grapefruit is only of the best quality and taste when grown in the mountainous district of Huong Khe.
The people of Huong Khe district grow grapefruit trees on high hills. The trees can grow up to 3-5 meters tall with a canopy width of about 3 meters.
Grapefruit trees laden with fruits await harvest.
Grapefruit gardens in Huong Khe use traceability labels to enhance their reputation and protect consumers’ rights.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Huong Khe district, at the end of August, locals started the main harvest season of Phu Trach grapefruit. Thanks to the production process complying with VietGAP, GlobalGap, and organic standards, the trees grow well, and the fruit quality continues to improve. It is estimated that the total yield will reach nearly 23,000 tons, bringing in approximately VND 600 billion.
The Eerie Abandonment: A Peek into the $2.3 Million Electric Vehicle Assembly Plant in Ha Tinh
Invested with VND 55 billion, the factory for manufacturing and assembling electric vehicles in Dai Kim Industrial Zone (Ha Tinh) operated only for a short period before coming to a halt.
The Billion-Dollar Hotel Project: A Demand for Justice as Construction is Halted.
The $2 million hotel in Ha Tinh, Vietnam, faced a legal battle with a local resident demanding the return of the land. The Hanoi High-Level People’s Court ruled that the People’s Committee of Nghi Xuan District had unlawfully revoked the land, casting doubt on the hotel’s completion.
