These days, Trần Hùng is very happy preparing for his off-season harvest of type 2 Valencia oranges, or “Valencia 2” oranges. With just 50 trees in his garden, Hùng’s family is expected to earn a total income of $13,300 USD from now to the Tet Holiday, about 2-3 times higher than local orange harvests.
Before, local people could only harvest oranges in the summer and sell them at a price of 44 – 67 cents/kg. But now, with Valencia 2 oranges, they can start harvesting from the 11th lunar month through the Tet holiday. This orange variety also produces better taste and quality, and can be sold at US$1.78/kg. At the moment, Nam Đông District is using 2 hectares of land to grow these oranges.
The success in Nam Đông District has prompted Thua Thien Hue Province to spread this orange variety to 2 other communes in Phong Điền District. Currently, local farmers can profit up to US$15,500 with each Valencia 2 orange harvest.
The recognised quality of Valencia oranges plus the fact that their growing process adheres to VietGap standards only raises their value in customers’ eyes. According to local farmers, this type of orange sells quickly, which means more income for their families. This is the right direction for farmers in Thua Thien Hue to earn a sustainable income through domestic production.
