Profit over 3.5 billion VND/year

Leading us to the orange and green-skinned grapefruit growing area of ​​more than 10 hectares, which is ready for harvest, Mr. Nguyen Van Huu in Xe Cu village, Thanh Hai commune, Luc Ngan district (Bac Giang) said that because it was grown organically from the beginning, his family's green-skinned grapefruit garden is always green and lush, producing beautiful fruit and delicious grapefruit. Currently, customers are contacting to pay 40,000 VND/kg to buy green-skinned grapefruit, but the family is waiting until harvest time to finalize the selling price.

"Currently, in Luc Ngan district, there are many orange growing areas, but only 2-3 households grow green-skinned grapefruit. My farm has the largest green-skinned grapefruit growing area in Luc Ngan district, in 10 hectares, there are 5,000-6,000 orange trees, and about 2,000 green-skinned grapefruit trees," said Mr. Huu.

Talking about the process of converting from lychee garden to citrus trees, Mr. Nguyen Van Huu shared that in 2006, his family started to destroy the lychee trees, this choice was also considered a lot. Although lychee is a specialty fruit of Luc Ngan district, the harvest time is too short and the area is too large, so I decided to switch to citrus trees. Because switching to citrus trees will be easier to work and the harvest time will be longer.

While all the surrounding hills and gardens were growing lychees, it was not easy for the family to switch to growing oranges and grapefruits. At that time, there was no way to find a green-skinned grapefruit garden to consult and exchange techniques and skills. This obstacle forced him to go to large farms, such as in the South, then to Hoa Binh province to see how the farms that went before him grew oranges and grapefruits to learn and gain experience.

After many visits to citrus farms, he finally decided to order green-skinned grapefruit from Ben Tre to grow organically from the beginning. Along with green-skinned grapefruit, he also planted sweet grapefruit, peach grapefruit, yellow-heart oranges, and sweet oranges with a total area of ​​over 10 hectares.

“In agriculture, organic production is sustainable, both ensuring food safety and protecting the health of the producers. Therefore, I use completely organic fertilizers and biological products such as buffalo manure, fish soaked in microorganisms, fermented soybeans with microorganisms, etc. to fertilize the plants. To prevent pests, my family sprinkles lime powder and sprays lime with copper to prevent pests and diseases on the plants,” Mr. Huu shared.

Up to now, Mr. Huu's family's orange and grapefruit garden, which is over 10 years old, is considered one of the highest quality citrus gardens in Luc Ngan district. In 2022, Mr. Nguyen Van Huu's family harvested 300 tons of orange and grapefruit fruit with a revenue of 5.3 billion VND, after deducting expenses, he earned a profit of 3.5 billion VND.

Mr. Huu's citrus farming model has created jobs for members, farmers and children of members and farmers in the village, from 8 to 14 workers, with an average income of 6 million VND/person/month.

Promoting community-based tourism development

Taking advantage of the beautiful fruit garden and convenient transportation, Mr. Huu's orange and grapefruit garden is always included in the list of attractive tourist destinations by Luc Ngan district. Mr. Huu has coordinated with gardeners in the commune to organize tours and tourist routes and has welcomed hundreds of groups of visitors to visit, experience the lychee and grapefruit flower season, and then harvest lychee, oranges and grapefruit.

In 2021, Thanh Hai Agricultural Production and Trading Cooperative was established with Mr. Nguyen Van Huu as Director. Along with growing citrus trees, Thanh Hai Agricultural Production and Trading Cooperative also develops community ecotourism to maximize the advantages of the main crops of oranges and grapefruits in Luc Ngan district.

"Thanh Hai Agricultural Production and Trading Cooperative has 10 members with a total area of ​​about 40 hectares of oranges and grapefruits. The output in 2023 is estimated to reach over 500 tons of oranges and grapefruits. I really hope that the authorities at all levels will support the Cooperative with a storage warehouse so that we can gradually consume this quantity of oranges and grapefruits" - Mr. Huu expressed.

According to Mr. Huu, the development of community ecotourism also helps gardeners introduce and consume many orange and grapefruit products. Coming to orange and grapefruit gardens, visitors can immerse themselves in the lush, green space, heavy with fruits of various types of trees, from green-skinned grapefruit, sweet oranges, yellow-heart oranges and rows of brightly blooming cockscomb flowers planted along both sides of the garden path.

In particular, tourists can directly buy trees, harvest and enjoy ripe, delicious oranges and grapefruits. These are truly new, interesting and unforgettable experiences for tourists. Many tourists were very excited and enjoyed taking souvenir photos in the land full of fragrant flowers, sweet fruits and very friendly and hospitable people.

The time to welcome tourists to visit and experience the family's orange and grapefruit garden starts from November until the Lunar New Year. Especially, on weekends, every day there are hundreds of tourists visiting the garden to visit and experience activities such as: directly buying and selling their favorite orange and grapefruit trees or buying products directly from the trees, then picking oranges and grapefruits and enjoying them right in the garden.

To meet the needs and serve tourists better, Mr. Huu's family has invested more than 2 billion VND to renovate the path, plant flowers on both sides of the road, build a two-story stilt house with a kitchen, and a resting area to meet the needs of hundreds of tourists. Coming to Mr. Huu's orange and grapefruit garden, tourists can freely admire the fruit trees full of citrus fruits, visit the lotus pond, fish pond, and see the cockscomb flowers blooming brightly on both sides of the road...

In early July 2023, Mr. Huu's family's orange and grapefruit garden was recognized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Giang province as a Hoa Qua Son eco-tourism site. Hoa Qua Son eco-tourism site is owned and managed by Thanh Hai Agricultural Production and Tourism Trade Cooperative, organized according to the model of eco-tourism to experience agriculture and rural areas.

Here, you will experience accommodation services and visit the fruit garden, Xe Cu Pagoda combined with visiting tourist attractions such as Cam Son Lake, Khuon Than Lake, experience the traditional Chu noodle making village, and visit ethnic minority villages in the area.

In addition to being good at business, Mr. Huu also enthusiastically shares his farming experience with many other households; actively contributes funds to build new rural areas, and participates in the movement of the whole people to protect national security. He received many Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Giang province for his outstanding achievements in implementing the patriotic emulation movement; production and business, solidarity to help each other get rich. In 2023, Mr. Nguyen Van Huu was voted by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union as one of the 100 outstanding Vietnamese Farmers.

Mr. La Van Doan - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Bac Giang province said that Mr. Nguyen Van Huu is one of the typical good farmers and businessmen in Bac Giang province.

"Mr. Nguyen Van Huu is a typical example in the field of good business production associated with community tourism and every year he attracts many visitors from inside and outside the province to visit the model. His model brings in a very high income every year. Besides, Mr. Huu is also a very typical example in participating in the activities of the Association, from the grassroots to the province, ready to help poor households, disadvantaged households and policy families" - Mr. La Van Doan emphasized.