Mr. Le Van Thuy’s model of cultivation of dragon fruit according to GlobalGAP standards in My Khuong Hamlet, My Tinh An Municipality, Cho Gao District, Tien Giang Province. Picture: Minh Dam.
When he went to My Khuong Hamlet, My Tinh An Township, Cho Gao District (Tien Giang Province), Mr. Le Van Thuy (58 years old) asked everyone knew because he was very interested in doing business. He is a good farmer at the national level. Currently, he owns two gardens specializing in dragon fruit cultivation, total area of 1.8 ha. In these two gardens, scientific and technical advances are applied in production according to GlobalGAP standards, high productivity and export value, so that many people learn to follow them .
Mr Thuy said the family had a history of growing rice with low economic efficiency, so they switched to white-fleshed dragon fruit for nearly 30 years. Since 2012, encouraging and guiding the professional industry, he started producing to VietGAP standards and then progressed to GlobalGAP. Linked to consumption by the My Tinh An cooperative, the dragon fruit is exported to demanding countries such as the EU and the US at a price in excess of a few thousand dongs/kg.
Thanks to diligence and know-how in the application of techniques in production, his family’s dragon fruit garden always achieves high productivity and quality. On average, this dragon fruit orchard is treated for 3 crops per year, yielding 50-60 tons/ha. During this year’s dry season, Mr. Le Van Thuy’s 1-hectare dragon fruit orchard harvested 20 tons of fruit, which sold at VND22,000/kg, raising VND450 million.
Pulling the rope through the garden to spray preventive medicine on dragon fruit trees is very gentle compared to carrying a spray bottle on your shoulder. Picture: Hu Duc.
In order to successfully grow dragon fruit with GlobalGAP standards, Mr. Thuy always adheres to the process, does not spray any pesticides outside the prescribed list, in particular he also composts organic fish from fish to add more fertilizer to the garden. Dragon fruit for climbing fences using steel pipes, not traditional cement poles.
This model helps the dragon fruit to have a high yield and good control of pests and diseases. When lighting lamps for off-season flowering, he uses two types of LED bulbs and filament to conserve electricity while still maintaining high efficiency. In addition, he also applied mechanization in care such as watering and spraying. Therefore, although the garden is quite large, the maintenance requires few family members to take care of without hiring additional workers.
Mr. Thuy shared: “For GAP production to be successful, it is important to change production practices and put product quality, food safety and consumer safety first. When spraying and fertilizing, in addition to soil improvement, there must also be a selection of organic products and biological products for harmless products.
What is remarkable for Mr. Thuy is the determination and creativity in the production work. While local farmers planted red-fleshed dragon fruit on a massive scale, he stayed true to the white-fleshed dragon fruit. According to Mr. Thuy, white-fleshed dragon fruit is less susceptible to disease, high-yielding and the US and EU markets are very attractive. Although dragon fruit has been sluggish in the past and has fallen in price, he was not discouraged and continued to invest in tending his garden.
Mr. Thuy Home Composted Microbial Organic Fertilizer made from Fish and EM Probiotics. Picture: Minh Dam.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nam, Chairman of My Tinh An Municipality People’s Committee, commented: Farmer Le Van Thuy is very typical of local production and one of the leading farmers in the effective implementation of the GAP model.
Mr. Thuy’s dragon fruit is grown using the method, therefore it boasts high productivity and quality, especially the technique of growing in rows. Also, Mr. Thuy watered the nozzle and pulled the spray line to the end of the garden without having a spray bottle with him, so it was very effective. At present, white flesh dragon fruit, if the price is VND 15,000 or more, the income is very good.
Mr. Thuy is not only a good worker but also the head of the Farmers’ Union in My Khuong Hamlet, My Tinh An Township. In 2020 he was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Prime Minister for his services to the productive work. In addition, he was awarded many certificates of merit by the People’s Committee of Tien Giang Province and the Central Committee of the Farmers’ Union for his outstanding achievements in the union work and imitation in the production work.
In the past he has been very active in local charity movements such as building bridges and roads. He himself has volunteered for more than 30 humanitarian blood donations. Last year he also had the honor of being accepted into the party at the age of almost 60.
Despite being almost 60 years old, farmer Le Van Thuy is still very enthusiastic and passionate about the production. He said while he is healthy, he is still going through labor and is determined to get rich from dragon fruit.