Phieng Khoai is considered the plum “capital” of Yen Chau. Plum trees were planted here in the 1990s, due to the suitable climate and soil, along with the application of scientific advances in grafting techniques, so the trees have many flower batches, giving high yield and quality fruit. The difference between Phieng Khoai plums and other regions is that they are grown on limestone mountains, with a cool climate all year round; this helps the plums retain their natural sweetness, along with their red color and thick white powder.
From a few dozen hectares initially, Phieng Khoai commune now has 2,500 hectares of plums. In early 2025, plum growers in Phieng Khoai received good news when they were recognized as a high-tech application area. Thanks to the stable economic value, plum trees have been expanded by people, applying intensive farming measures, producing according to safe processes, and harvesting at different times to meet market demand.
Tay Bac Organic Agriculture Cooperative, Tam Thanh village, Phieng Khoai commune, has over 130 hectares of plums grown organically and in VietGAP. Plum care during the fruiting stage is always a focus of the cooperative members. Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Director of the Cooperative, shared: This year, the weather is basically favorable, every plum garden is blooming and bearing fruit without any obstacles. If the weather continues to be favorable in the next month, this year's fruit crop will be the best in the past few years, the cooperative's plum output this year is expected to reach over 1,000 tons, an increase of 30% compared to the previous crop.
The Tay Bac Organic Agriculture Cooperative has required members to apply electronic diaries, manage production using a camera surveillance system in the garden, comply with plum planting and care techniques according to safe procedures; fertilize and prevent pests at the right time, combined with the use of an economical irrigation system, automatically creating continuous humidity... thanks to which the trees grow well and the fruit is uniform.
With improved farming and technical skills, in addition to taking care of plums in the main season, many households in Phieng Khoi commune have also applied some technical measures to help plums bear fruit early. Although plums will not be in the main season for nearly 2 months, at this time, 5 hectares of plums of Mr. Tran Quoc Huy's family, Kim Chung village, Phieng Khoi commune, have been harvested. Mr. Huy said: To produce off-season fruit as desired, it is necessary to choose the right time. Since November, the family has been pinching the tops, spraying flower bud and flower stimulants, following the dosage of fertilizer, watering so that the trees bear fruit in February and are harvested in March and April. Off-season plums are easy to sell, with high prices, averaging from 50,000-100,000 VND/kg. This season, the family harvested about 5 tons of off-season plums, selling for about 500 million VND.
In Long Phieng commune, farmers in the area are also actively fertilizing and preventing pests and diseases for plum trees every day. Mr. Luu Thanh Binh's family in Yen Thi village has more than 1 hectare of plum trees. Immediately after harvesting, the family trims old and weak branches from the previous crop to create ventilation for the trees, limiting pests and diseases; instead of installing an underground irrigation system, the family ties irrigation hoses to the tree branches to facilitate weeding and fertilizing; limits chemical fertilizers, only uses organic fertilizers and fish protein microorganisms to supplement nutrients for the trees.
Mr. Binh said: Before entering the fruiting stage, the family cultivates, fertilizes, combines with treating microorganisms in the soil with lime powder and uses some pesticides to prevent stem borers and sap. When the fruit is 1 month old, the family uses completely composted manure, organic fertilizer from corn flour and soybeans to fertilize the trees; prunes, removes poor quality fruits, reduces the number of fruits on each branch to take better care of nutrition, creating large, high-quality plums. After many years of using this method, the plum garden also yields 30 tons/crop, earning more than 400 million VND/year.
Currently, not only cooperatives but also most farmers in Yen Chau have a firm grasp of the techniques and cultivation processes for plum trees. Learning from the previous crop, this year, plum growers have proactively applied early fertilization measures, proactively nurtured healthy trees, applied both mechanical measures and biological and organic products to help plums flower and bear fruit. Thanks to that, farmers have kept the trees strong and healthy, improving cultivation efficiency. Currently, 90% of the plum area in the district is growing well, with few pests and diseases, and a high fruit set rate. It is forecasted that this year, plum yields will be high, reaching 20-25 tons/ha.
Mr. Vu Hai Yen, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Yen Chau district, said: The Department has instructed people to closely monitor the weather and the development of crops to promptly handle when necessary. At the same time, it has propagated and supported households to properly implement safe production processes, use fertilizers and pesticides according to the permitted list. In addition, it has selected areas that are eligible to apply the crop spreading method, helping crops grow well. To ensure output for agricultural products, the Department has developed a consumption plan, sought solutions to connect with businesses to purchase the upcoming plum output. In addition, the Department also supports cooperatives to install water-saving irrigation systems, design packaging, and develop OCOP products to enhance the value and maintain the Yen Chau plum brand. The goal is to reach 35,000 tons of consumption by 2025.
With the proactive care following the correct technical process of plum growers, along with the attention of local authorities, it is hoped that this year Yen Chau plum will achieve high yields, continuing to become the main source of income for farmers in the area.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/yen-chau-cham-bon-vung-man-hau-lJTCtUoNg.html
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