Profit reaches hundreds of million VND per year thanks to coconut cultivation

Recently, many farmers in Tan Khanh Ward, Tan An City, Long An Province have changed growing rice into growing coconut. With just a few thousand square meters of land for growing coconut, they generate a profit of hundreds of millions VND per year.

With just a few thousand square meters of land for growing coconut, farmers generate a profit of hundreds of millions VND per year

Mr.Tran Van Chinh, in Nhon Hau 2 neighborhood, Tan Khanh ward, has 1.5 hectares of land for growing Malaysian and Red Siamese coconut. At present, his coconut garden is very fruitful and in its harvesting season. Every year, each coconut tree produces at least 150 fruits with a price of VND 5,000 - VND 10,000 for each.

Previously, Mr. Chinh planted rice on 1.5 hectares of this land. However, it is very difficult and expensive to mechanize farming because of low land. Above all, the profit from rice cultivation is not high. Therefore, in 2004, he tried to plant 100 Malaysian coconut trees. Coconuts grow well and are harvested after 2.5 years, thus having higher economic efficiency. For that reason, Mr.Chinh decided to completely change from growing rice into growing Malaysian and Red Siamese coconut.

According to him, besides having low production costs, these 2 types of coconut are suitable for the soil and require little care. In addition, the fruits are small but beautiful and their water is plenty and sweet.

Each year, using N-P-K fertilizer mixture, the growers only have to manure 3 to 4 times. They also need to cover mud on the root, provide enough water in dry seasons to avoid adverse effects on productivity and quality.

Chairman of Tan Khanh Ward Farmers' Union - Luong Van Van said that the ward has 85 households growing coconut with an area of nearly 60 hectares. Traders of Tien Giang province, Ho Chi Minh City, and so on come to the garden to buy but coconuts are not enough to sell, especially in the dry season. Thanks to coconut farming, people's lives have been improved, contributing positively to the satisfaction of urban civilization standards of the ward.

Besides, many farmers still nurse and sell coconut seedlings. Mr.Vo Anh Tai (in Nhon Cau neighborhood), only planted 150 Red Siamese coconut trees. However, from these trees, he sells thousands of seedlings every year. In 2018 alone, he sold nearly 10,000 coconut seedlings with prices from VND 35,000 to VND 60,000 per tree.

Mr.Vo Anh Tai nurses and sells coconut seedlings

He said: "In order to achieve quality in nursing coconut seedlings, growers must have their own experience and know-how. Specifically, the seedlings must be pure and the fruit needs to have oval shape. Normally, seedlings are nursed from 2 to 2.5 months. The nursing of coconut seedlings helps increase profits far more significantly compared to selling fruits.

Coconut farming has contributed to crop restructuring and has offered new opportunities to farmers in Tan Khanh ward in particular and in Long An province in general. Specifically, apart from the aforementioned favorable impacts, the model also helps orientate farmers who hesitate to change the crops./.