In early 2017, the cultivation of oranges began in Nậm Tin commune, Mường Pồ district when some households in Tàng Do village boldly introduced the Vinh orange variety to grow on the poor soils of their hillside farms. The climate and soil were ideal for the plants, and with the proper care, the orange trees grew well, producing sweet, juicy fruit with thin skins. Not only are the oranges sweet, but they are also a clean, easy-to-preserve product, which attracted increasing attention from local residents and traders. The area for growing oranges has expanded in both size and the number of households involved.

Hờ A Lù, Chairman of Nậm Tin commune People’s Committee, shared: “The orange trees start producing from the fourth year onward, yielding about 60kg per tree per harvest. With an average selling price of VND 25,000/kg, it provides a stable income for orange growers. For instance, Sùng Quán Tùng’s family, who has 4,600 orange trees, generates about VND 300 million annually.”

To create a stable brand region and meet consumer demand, as well as to increase product value and income for the people, in 2023, nearly VND 3 billion was allocated from national target programs to implement an orange plantation model in Nậm Tin commune over an area of 22 hectares with 14 households participating. This brings the total area for orange cultivation in Nậm Tin to 33 hectares, with 11 hectares currently in production.

Hờ A Lù added: “For the areas cultivated under the model, after two years of implementation, the orange trees are developing well and are expected to start producing within two more years.”

In Tuần Giáo district, the total area for fruit tree plantations (excluding macadamia) currently exceeds 600 hectares, primarily in the communes of Quài Nưa, Quài Cang, Pú Nhung, Rạng Đông, Mùn Chung, and Nà Tòng. Many areas have already begun yielding, providing stable income for the residents. Notably, over 3 hectares of fruit trees have been granted regional planting codes.

Despite the progress in developing fruit trees in Tuần Giáo, there are still some challenges. For example, some areas of plantations are growing slowly and suffering from pests, and some orchards are not well-maintained because the main workers in the households have to work elsewhere, leaving only elderly parents or young children at home.

For instance, in Quài Nưa commune, 12 hectares of mango trees were planted from 2018 to 2019 as part of a project linking production and consumption of fruit trees, involving 38 households. In 2021, the mango harvest yielded 2.9 tons with good quality. However, after a few initial successful harvests, many areas of mango trees were not well cared for because the primary labor force was working away from home.

Lường Thị Nga from Pha Làng village, Quài Nưa commune, shared: “My family has more than 1 hectare of fruit trees, but currently, I am the only one doing the work. Due to insufficient manpower, I couldn’t properly care for the orchard, so many of the trees suffered from pests.”

Although they have received support in terms of seedlings, most households involved in fruit tree planting have not actively adopted new agricultural techniques and have limited experience in planting, caring for, and pest control, leading to issues with pests and slow growth.

Recognizing these difficulties, Tuần Giáo district has mobilized the entire political system, from the district to the village level, to revitalize the fruit tree areas with specific solutions. The most important measure has been effective communication to make residents realize the benefits of fruit tree cultivation, encouraging them to take better care of their orchards.

One effective method adopted by Tuần Giáo was organizing care campaigns to create widespread awareness. Local youth, women, farmers, and civil defense forces, in collaboration with the district’s Agricultural Services Center and commune governments, have been providing hands-on guidance for orchard care.

For example, in Pú Nhung commune, this campaign has been carried out in 100% of the villages with fruit tree plantations. Staff from the Agricultural Services Center and linked companies directly guide the people on pruning, orchard maintenance, and provide labor support. After the campaign, most households in the commune have started weeding, fertilizing, and caring for their orchards to ensure a good harvest in the next season. Thanks to this effort, Pú Nhung has become one of the communes with the largest fruit tree areas in the district, with over 100 hectares, mostly in Phiêng Pi, Đề Chia A, B, and Chua Lú villages.

In addition to planning concentrated fruit tree cultivation regions and producing safely, localities have proactively reviewed and assessed suitable land areas, guiding people to choose fruit tree types that match the local environment, production practices, and market demands. From 2021 to 2024, using funds from national target programs, science and technology, agricultural production support, and extension services, the province has launched 22 fruit tree cultivation models across 554 hectares with 1,130 participating households, investing over VND 39.7 billion. To further develop the fruit tree industry, solutions such as funding, seedlings, and care guidance must also be linked to finding markets for the products, aiming to increase the value of local agricultural products.