Bored with corn and potatoes, people in this area of ​​Yen Bai planted strawberries. The plants were short and the fruits were red and plump.

Recently, strawberries have become a new winter crop for many households in Mu Cang Chai district (Yen Bai province) because they bring in much higher income than corn and potatoes. Strawberries are also the crop chosen by many households to grow mainly in the winter crop of the following years.

The terraced fields, which were traditionally used for corn, potatoes, and other winter vegetables and beans, have now been replaced by lush green strawberry fields. This change has not only brought a new look to Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai province), but also opened up a promising direction for the Mong people here.

Mong people increase income thanks to strawberry plants.

Previously, the Mong people in the mountainous district of Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai province) mainly grew traditional winter crops such as corn and vegetables. However, the economic efficiency of these crops was not high, and people's lives were still difficult. Realizing the potential of strawberries, many households have boldly changed their crop structure, introducing strawberries into experimental planting.

Realizing the economic benefits, many households in Mu Cang Chai have converted their traditional winter crops to growing strawberries. Photo: PV.

In the winter crop of 2024 - 2025, instead of growing some traditional crops such as vegetables, tubers, and fruits, Mr. Ly A Vang's family in Group 3, Mu Cang Chai town (Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) boldly converted nearly 2,000 square meters of winter crop garden land to grow more than 1,000 strawberry trees. After more than 4 months of care, the strawberry plants have now been harvested with an average selling price of 100,000 - 120,000 VND/kg. Although it has only been harvested for more than 10 days, the family has sold more than 20 million VND to the market, after deducting expenses, his family still earned a profit of more than 10 million VND.

Mr. Ly A Vang shared: "I found the climate in Mu Cang Chai cool, suitable for strawberry plants, so my family brought this strawberry plant in for a trial planting. I found that strawberry plants bring in better income than other crops. In the coming time, my family will continue to expand the area to serve the needs of the people and increase family income."

Mr. Ly A Vang, in group 3, Mu Cang Chai town (Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) takes care of his family's strawberry garden. Photo: PV.

To help the plants grow well and ensure they are not affected by pests, Mr. Vang also intercrops onions and garlic in the strawberry growing area, so his family's strawberries do not have to use additional pesticides.

"My family also intercrops onions and garlic with strawberry beds, both to repel insects and prevent some parasitic diseases caused by insects that harm strawberries, and to increase income on the same area," Mr. Vang added.

The strawberry garden is intercropped with garlic and onions to prevent insects and pests while increasing income. Photo: PV.

As for Mr. Giang A So's family in Hang Gang village (Lao Chai commune, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province), after participating in learning from many places and researching the climate and weather, at the end of October 2024, he and his family bought 3,200 strawberry plants from Son La to plant on an area of ​​more than 3,000 square meters of the family's rice fields. After more than 4 months of care, by early March 2025, Mr. So's family's strawberry area was ready for harvest.

Although it was just the first harvest of the season, the family sold nearly 20 million VND to the market. According to Mr. So, on the same land area, strawberries will yield and earn several times higher income than rice cultivation, and the care is not as hard as rice cultivation. Therefore, in the coming time, the family will continue to convert more of the family's fields and gardens to strawberry cultivation to develop the economy and reduce poverty.

More than 3,000 square meters of rice fields of Mr. Giang A So's family in Hang Gang village (Lao Chai commune, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) are planted with 3,200 strawberry trees. Photo: PV.

"I calculate that if I grow rice on this area, I will only get 20 bags of rice and sell it to the market for only about 10 million, but if it is strawberries, I calculate that when I sell all the garden by the end of the season, I will earn from 35 to 40 million VND." Mr. So excitedly said.

Strawberries "pull" visitors to experience, Mong people earn more income.

Not only bringing a stable source of income from selling products, Mu Cang Chai people also take advantage of strawberry gardens to develop experiential tourism, opening up a new direction full of potential.

Strawberry growers have turned their gardens into tourist attractions, allowing visitors to directly experience strawberry picking, enjoy fresh strawberries right in the garden and learn about the process of growing and caring for this plant.

Strawberry is a new crop in Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai province). Photo: PV.

These days, since the strawberries begin to ripen and are ready for harvest, every day, especially in the afternoon, the strawberry garden of Mr. Ly A Vang's family is bustling with visitors coming to experience the tour. Coming here, visitors will experience picking ripe strawberries by hand.

Mr. Vang said that on weekends, the number of visitors coming to pick and buy strawberries in his family's garden is even higher, and there are even days when the strawberries are not ripe enough for visitors to buy. Growing and developing strawberries right in Mu Cang Chai town has created favorable conditions for visitors to pick and buy strawberries according to the preferences of the families.

The quality and sweetness of Mu Cang Chai strawberries are very good, the strawberries are delicious and sweet. Photo: PV.

"Since having a strawberry garden, my family has welcomed more visitors. They are very excited to pick strawberries themselves and enjoy the flavor of Mu Cang Chai strawberries. Thanks to that, my family has an additional source of income from selling strawberries to visitors." Mr. Vang said.

Ms. Phung Mui Lai, a happy visitor, said: "After work, I took my children to the strawberry garden to experience fruit picking. I found that the strawberries here are very well cared for and safe. I used to buy strawberries from other places to eat, but picking them myself in the garden like this is very interesting and I also find the strawberries here sweeter."

Many tourists come to the strawberry garden to experience picking ripe strawberries themselves. Photo: PV.

According to the evaluation of strawberry growers and buyers, the quality and sweetness of Mu Cang Chai strawberries are very good, the strawberries are delicious and sweet, so they are chosen by many people and tourists.

From the initial results and quality of black strawberry plants for households, in the future strawberries will become the main winter crop for many households, helping households have additional income to develop the economy and sustainably reduce poverty.

Source: https://danviet.vn/chan-ngo-khoai-dan-noi-nay-cua-yen-bai-ben-trong-dau-tay-cay-thap-te-trai-tho-ra-do-mong-20250325102728156.htm