Residents of a mountainous district in Ha Tinh province have earned nearly half a billion dong thanks to growing a type of "super fruit" with a sour taste.

The family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai Duong, residing in Cao Phong village, Duc Linh commune, has been cultivating lemon trees on an area of ​​over 2 hectares for more than 15 years. Thanks to the application of scientific and technological advancements in production, the lemon trees yield high productivity each season.

Ms. Duong said: "This main lemon harvest, my family expects to harvest over 18 tons of fruit. The lemon crop is abundant and the prices are good, so for almost a week now, the whole family has been busy harvesting. With prices ranging from 11,000 to 12,000 VND/kg, my family expects to earn over 250 million VND."

"Lemon trees yield two harvests a year, the main harvest from July to the end of August, and the off-season harvest from the end of December to February of the following year. If well cared for, a lemon tree can live for more than 20 years. In recent years, traders come directly to the orchards to buy the fruit during harvest season, making the selling process less difficult for the farmers," Ms. Duong revealed.

Recognizing the economic benefits of lemon trees, the family of Mr. Nguyen Van An, residing in Cao Phong village, Duc Linh commune, converted over 1 hectare of hillside land previously used for low-yield cassava cultivation to lemon trees. To date, over 300 trees have been yielding fruit for the second year. Thanks to the focus on applying scientific and technical methods, the lemons are abundant, juicy, and visually appealing, attracting traders who come directly to the orchard to purchase them.

Mr. Nguyen Van An shared: "My family only invested in growing lemons 4 years ago. Lemon cultivation requires little effort and the planting techniques aren't too difficult. The important thing is choosing a high-quality variety, paying attention to pruning, mulching, and caring for the trees at each stage of development. For our lemon orchard, we mainly use well-rotted manure and limit the use of chemical fertilizers, so the trees are healthy. Even in only the second harvest, we've yielded high productivity and the fruit quality is guaranteed to be safe, so we've received many orders from customers."

"Currently, the family has sold over 300-500 kg of lemons. Despite the hot weather, the lemons are still growing well, producing large, beautiful fruits at a good price. We estimate that this lemon orchard of over 1 hectare will yield more than 8 tons of fruit, bringing in an income of about 100 million VND."

Lemons are a fruit used daily in family meals, restaurants, etc., so consumption is high, especially in the summer. The family feels quite secure relying on this crop. Currently, besides harvesting lemons, we are improving the hillside garden land to expand planting by another 200 lemon trees this coming October," Anh said excitedly.

Farmers thrive thanks to lemon trees.

According to long-time lemon growers in Duc Linh commune, even though it's only the beginning of the season, traders from the local area as well as from Vinh City (Nghe An) and Quang Binh have already come to inquire about buying entire orchards. They sell everything they harvest, with no hoarding or price manipulation.

Mr. Le Quoc Huy (a trader in Vinh City, Nghe An province) who specializes in buying lemons in Duc Linh commune, said: "For many years, we have chosen Duc Linh commune to buy lemons in large quantities. Lemons here are different from those in other regions; they have thin skins, lots of juice, and are large and beautiful. In particular, lemons from this area have a refreshing aroma, characteristic of the hilly region. Although the price is higher than the average, we still buy them because lemons from here are very popular with consumers from North to South."

"On average, I buy 5-6 tons of lemons daily to send to other provinces for consumption. The market is favorable, so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to buy from farmers. Currently, lemons are being purchased at the farm gate for 11,000-12,000 VND/kg, depending on the size of the fruit. Hopefully, the price of lemons will increase in the coming days so that farmers can have more income," Mr. Huy said.

According to the people of Duc Linh commune, lemon trees are very suitable for the local hilly soil and climate, making them easy to plant and care for, and yielding high productivity. Thanks to lemon cultivation, many families have risen out of poverty and become well-off households in the area.

Speaking to a reporter from Dan Viet newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Duc Linh commune, said: "For many years, lemon trees have been considered the main crop of the locality. This year, the weather has been quite favorable, resulting in high yields and production. It is estimated that with approximately 290 hectares of lemon trees currently bearing fruit, this season will yield more than 5,200 tons. Significantly, traders come directly to the orchards to buy the lemons as soon as they are harvested, and the selling price is higher than in previous years, so the people are very happy."