Pioneer in high technology application

When mentioning the sunny and windy Tuy Phong region, many people immediately think of apple and grape products that have had a brand and a foothold for many years. In 2019, starting to learn about the high-tech melon model and experimenting with planting about 2,000 m2, some members of the cooperative experienced many failures, from which they drew lessons to apply appropriately to this arid land. In 2021, Thien An Cooperative was established with 12 members who are young people of the 8X and 9X generations in the locality, applying the planting of the special honeydew melon variety in Hoa Minh and Phuoc The communes. This is a type of melon with green skin, gray mesh pattern, orange flesh, beautiful mesh pattern, crispy flesh that melts in the mouth, fragrant and sweet.

From 3 greenhouses with an initial area of ​​3 sao, the members of the cooperative have expanded and developed their experience in growing according to a high-tech model. To invest in a greenhouse of about 1,000 m2, Thien An Cooperative had to spend about 300 - 500 million VND including a greenhouse system, drip irrigation system, modern micro-cultivation, helping growers control environmental factors such as pests, light, temperature, humidity and providing ideal conditions for plant growth. After that, the cooperative members continued to expand 21 more greenhouses in Phu Lac commune, Phong Phu commune, Hoa Minh commune, Phuoc The commune, increasing the total growing area to more than 2.5 hectares. In addition to the De Dac Mat melon variety, the cooperative members have introduced Huynh Long and Thien An melon varieties with superior quality and yield. Huynh Long and Thien An melons have a round, slightly oval shape, a shiny yellow net-covered skin, are more crispy and sweet than other melons, and especially have a very attractive aroma to consumers.

Mr. Le Minh Thach - Deputy Director of Thien An Cooperative shared: “Thien An Cooperative focuses on the needs of consumers, the quality of clean melon products, on the basis of growing and caring for melons according to sustainable farming methods and without using pesticides or chemical preservatives. This ensures that the products are safe, of natural quality, the Cooperative only uses biological products and organic fertilizers to care for the products, so they ensure both safety and quality, while protecting the health of both growers and consumers. In particular, the sunny and windy Tuy Phong land is very suitable for growing melons, because it will produce high crispness and moderate sweetness. Currently, melons are supplied stably to the markets of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Binh Duong... quite stably, contributing to promoting the image of Binh Thuan agricultural products in the domestic and foreign markets.

Building Thien An melon brand

For the melon to grow evenly, water and fertilizer are transferred through a drip irrigation system using Israeli technology to each melon root, meeting each growth stage of the plant. Growing melons using high technology helps save irrigation water, requires less labor, and can be grown year-round without fear of rain or adverse weather conditions. The greenhouse will help shield against rain and sun, and prevent insects from entering, so the melons grow quickly, helping the fruit to have beautiful mesh patterns and uniform size.

Mr. Thach added: “From the time of planting until the fruit reaches a weight of 1.5 - 2.8 kg, the melon will start to be harvested. A melon production season lasts about 75 - 80 days, producing 3 - 4 crops/year, with an average wholesale price of 35,000 VND/kg. After deducting costs, it will bring stable income. On average, 1 sao, the cooperative will harvest about 5 - 6 tons and harvest in a rolling manner (each sao is planted every 1 - 2 weeks). Each melon tree only selects and keeps exactly 1 fruit to ensure it is superior to the other fruits in terms of quality and shape. The special thing in the technology secret of Thien An Cooperative is that about 3 weeks before harvesting, technical staff will use organic products such as eggs, fresh milk, bananas and some other fruits... to ferment microorganisms to create pure organic fertilizer mixed with water to apply directly to the melon roots, helping the product have a special flavor, safety, and The characteristic crispness and sweetness are loved and trusted by consumers.

Currently, Thien An Cooperative's melon products have been certified by VietGAP and recognized as 3-star OCOP products of Tuy Phong district. The Cooperative hopes to be able to access preferential loans to continue developing Thien An melon products to meet GlobalGAP standards, build a brand, provide stable output as well as aim to become a typical product of the district.