A worker takes care of young macadamia trees at a nursery in Son La province. (Photo: danviet.vn) Son La (VNA) - As an ideal location fortropical trees that require high humidity, the northern mountainous province ofSon La plans to cultivate macadamia trees on 1,000 ha by 2020.
The province has been planting these trees since 2000 on atrial basis, and now has 100 ha on which macadamia is grown, mainly in thedistricts of Van Ho, Moc Chau, Mai Son and Thuan Chau, as well as Son La city.
Provincial authorities said that some macadamia plantingmodels have given higher yields than others. They see it as a supplementarycrop, suited to local soil and climate conditions, that can increase income andemployment in the province, attract investment and contribute to sustainabledevelopment.
Ha Thi Trang, a macadamia grower in Son La city’s ChiengSinh district, said her 3,000sq.m garden has 150 trees planted under the pilotproject.
"From the 10th year, I have been able to harvest thefruit regularly. Each tree yields about 30kg of nuts a year. But there are sometrees with yields as high as 120kg of nuts each,” Trang told Nong Thon Ngay Nay(Countryside Today).
The price of fresh macadamia nuts ranges from 150,000 to200,000 VND (6.6 to 8.8 USD) per kilo, she said. Current retail prices forprocessed macadamia nuts range between 300,000-360,000 VND in the domesticmarket.
“From 2010, I have reaped about 4 tonnes of nuts per cropper year,” Trang said.
There are several models of macadamia cultivation in theprovince that can bring regular yields like Trang’s garden, most of which haveto do with inter-cropping.
A typical example is the macadamia garden at the provincialLabour Education Centre, which has 201 macadamia trees planted along with 3,000coffee trees.
Ngo Thi Hau, the centre’s agricultural officer, said:"From 2015, we started to harvest with yields of nearly 1.8 tonnes offresh nut. Each tree has produced about 20 to 35kg of nuts.
“The centre is focusing on further development with fourvarieties of macadamia seeds that have been approved by the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD).”
The centre has 5,000 seedlings, 80 percent of which can havehigh yields.
Growing macadamia with other crops like coffee and tea isconsidered a suitable model for the expanding cultivation of this tree in theprovince, according to Ha Quyet Nghi, director of provincial Agriculture andRural Development Department.
The macadamia tree can support growth of the other plants,he explained.
“It is true that the macadamia tree not only uses less waterbut also retains it, and provides shade for the coffee plants to grow. Ahundred macadamia trees can be planted on 1ha of coffee. The productivity ofboth trees will increase under this model and the farmer will earn more,” hesaid.
Nghi said that the province has chosen four varieties ofmacadamia seeds which are suited to its soil and climate.
“Given its economic potential, the province is planning toplant 1,000ha of macadamia trees by 2020, mainly intercropped with coffee andtea, and it will be cultivated in border localities with Laos like Thuan Chau,Yen Chau and Van Ho districts,” he said.
Last year, the farmers earned good incomes from macadamiaand they did not have enough nuts to sell to enterprises, said Nghi.
"The province encourages businesses and farmers to joinin planting and processing macadamia. The province will also have supportingpolicies for this,” said Lo Minh Hung, vice chairman of the provincial People’sCommittee, adding that the province would also ensure the supply of goodquality seeds.
However, Phi Hong Hai, deputy director of Vietnam ForestScience Institute, suggested that the macadamia should not be grown in areasaffected by dry hot wind.
“In the development planning for macadamia, we have advisedMARD to plan cultivation areas in the northwest and the Central Highlands.
Son La province can grow macadamia, however, it is necessarythat suitable seeds and suitable land are selected for planting. I know thatthere are some areas with favorable climate conditions for planting this treein the province but other areas affected by dry wind should not grow the tree,”Hai said.
He also raised concerns about product consumption.
“There are only a few processing factories in the country.The farmers will suffer losses when supply exceeds demand. Therefore, withtarget of 1,000ha of macadamia trees by 2020, it is necessary to draw up a planto attract businesses to support consumption. The province also needs to helpfarmers in selling their products,” he said.
Nguyen Tri Ngoc, General Secretary of the VietnamAgriculture and Rural Development Association, said: “The province also needsto have reasonable credit policies for growers. Strong support is needed fromauthorities at all levels, from commune, district to provincial levels, to helpgrowers expand cultivation area, earn sufficient income and ensure sustainabledevelopment.” -VNA
The province has been planting these trees since 2000 on atrial basis, and now has 100 ha on which macadamia is grown, mainly in thedistricts of Van Ho, Moc Chau, Mai Son and Thuan Chau, as well as Son La city.
Provincial authorities said that some macadamia plantingmodels have given higher yields than others. They see it as a supplementarycrop, suited to local soil and climate conditions, that can increase income andemployment in the province, attract investment and contribute to sustainabledevelopment.
Ha Thi Trang, a macadamia grower in Son La city’s ChiengSinh district, said her 3,000sq.m garden has 150 trees planted under the pilotproject.
"From the 10th year, I have been able to harvest thefruit regularly. Each tree yields about 30kg of nuts a year. But there are sometrees with yields as high as 120kg of nuts each,” Trang told Nong Thon Ngay Nay(Countryside Today).
The price of fresh macadamia nuts ranges from 150,000 to200,000 VND (6.6 to 8.8 USD) per kilo, she said. Current retail prices forprocessed macadamia nuts range between 300,000-360,000 VND in the domesticmarket.
“From 2010, I have reaped about 4 tonnes of nuts per cropper year,” Trang said.
There are several models of macadamia cultivation in theprovince that can bring regular yields like Trang’s garden, most of which haveto do with inter-cropping.
A typical example is the macadamia garden at the provincialLabour Education Centre, which has 201 macadamia trees planted along with 3,000coffee trees.
Ngo Thi Hau, the centre’s agricultural officer, said:"From 2015, we started to harvest with yields of nearly 1.8 tonnes offresh nut. Each tree has produced about 20 to 35kg of nuts.
“The centre is focusing on further development with fourvarieties of macadamia seeds that have been approved by the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD).”
The centre has 5,000 seedlings, 80 percent of which can havehigh yields.
Growing macadamia with other crops like coffee and tea isconsidered a suitable model for the expanding cultivation of this tree in theprovince, according to Ha Quyet Nghi, director of provincial Agriculture andRural Development Department.
The macadamia tree can support growth of the other plants,he explained.
“It is true that the macadamia tree not only uses less waterbut also retains it, and provides shade for the coffee plants to grow. Ahundred macadamia trees can be planted on 1ha of coffee. The productivity ofboth trees will increase under this model and the farmer will earn more,” hesaid.
Nghi said that the province has chosen four varieties ofmacadamia seeds which are suited to its soil and climate.
“Given its economic potential, the province is planning toplant 1,000ha of macadamia trees by 2020, mainly intercropped with coffee andtea, and it will be cultivated in border localities with Laos like Thuan Chau,Yen Chau and Van Ho districts,” he said.
Last year, the farmers earned good incomes from macadamiaand they did not have enough nuts to sell to enterprises, said Nghi.
"The province encourages businesses and farmers to joinin planting and processing macadamia. The province will also have supportingpolicies for this,” said Lo Minh Hung, vice chairman of the provincial People’sCommittee, adding that the province would also ensure the supply of goodquality seeds.
However, Phi Hong Hai, deputy director of Vietnam ForestScience Institute, suggested that the macadamia should not be grown in areasaffected by dry hot wind.
“In the development planning for macadamia, we have advisedMARD to plan cultivation areas in the northwest and the Central Highlands.
Son La province can grow macadamia, however, it is necessarythat suitable seeds and suitable land are selected for planting. I know thatthere are some areas with favorable climate conditions for planting this treein the province but other areas affected by dry wind should not grow the tree,”Hai said.
He also raised concerns about product consumption.
“There are only a few processing factories in the country.The farmers will suffer losses when supply exceeds demand. Therefore, withtarget of 1,000ha of macadamia trees by 2020, it is necessary to draw up a planto attract businesses to support consumption. The province also needs to helpfarmers in selling their products,” he said.
Nguyen Tri Ngoc, General Secretary of the VietnamAgriculture and Rural Development Association, said: “The province also needsto have reasonable credit policies for growers. Strong support is needed fromauthorities at all levels, from commune, district to provincial levels, to helpgrowers expand cultivation area, earn sufficient income and ensure sustainabledevelopment.” -VNA
VNA
