As an ideal location for tropical trees that require high humidity, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum plans to cultivate macadamia trees on 1,000 ha by 2025. (Source: vnexplorer.net) Kon Tum (VNA) - As anideal location for tropical trees that require high humidity, the CentralHighlands province of Kon Tum plans to cultivate macadamia trees on 1,000 ha by2025, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Doan Nang Ruong, deputy head ofthe province’s Sub-department of Plant Protection, said for sustainabledevelopment, the Vietnam Macadamia Association should provide quality seedlingsto farmers, and province authorities should link enterprises across the countrywith local farmers to ensure demand for the nuts.
Tran Van Chuong, Deputy Directorof the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province needsthe support of the association to source quality seedlings.
There are many sources ofmacadamia seeds in the market, but they offer low yields, are plagued by pestsand result in low value, dissuading farmers from growing the trees, he said.
The provincial People'sCommittee should offer incentives to attract investment in macadamiaprocessing, and the association should help identify businesses that buymacadamia and make highly processed products, he added.
Prof. Nguyen Lan Hung, deputychairman of the association, said Kon Tum has a lot of lands suitable forgrowing the nut, and inter-cropping of macadamia with coffee should be increasedsince the former would also shield the coffee shrubs from the sun and winds.
In recent years the decline inthe prices of coffee, pepper and cashew, the province’s major crops, haspersuaded many farmers to inter-crop macadamia with coffee and pepper or switchcompletely to the nut to improve their livelihoods.
Macadamia offers a higherincome than coffee while the production cost is lower, according to farmers.
Kon Tum has suitable climateand soil for macadamia plantation and convenient transportation to places likeHCM City and neighbouring provinces.
But having a source forseedlings is an important factor.
The association already hasnurseries in the Central Highlands region that provide quality seeds tofarmers.
Macadamia trees have beenplanted in the province since 2013, mostly together with coffee. It has around350ha under the nut now, whose output is estimated at 30 tonnes a year./.
VNA
