The golden land of the wild apple tree

Ngoc Chien commune in Son La province has long been known as a golden land for hawthorn trees. Ngoc Chien currently has a total hawthorn grove area of ​​2,659 hectares, of which more than 1,200 hectares belong to Nam Nghep village. This village has the largest hawthorn grove area in the commune, with over 1,000 hectares of naturally growing ancient trees – trees that have existed for hundreds of years.

Elderly villagers recount that since their ancestors settled here, large apple trees, tens of meters tall, have been an integral part of this land. Besides the naturally growing apple trees, thanks to the government's reforestation programs 327 and 661, Ngoc Chien has added over 1,000 hectares of new apple trees, aged 20-40 years. Currently, the people continue to plant more saplings to maintain and expand the apple orchards.

Wild apples are a gift from nature to the Ngoc Chien region in general and Nam Nghep in particular. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Ngoc Chien wild apples are grown in villages at altitudes above 1,000m, but most notably in Nam Nghep, at an altitude of 2,000m. The cool climate, unique soil conditions, and direct sunlight create apples with the highest sugar, water, and nutrient content. Therefore, Nam Nghep wild apples are likened to "a maiden's rosy cheeks," distinguished by their smooth pink skin and sweet, white flesh.

The apple blossom season usually begins in March, and after 7 months, the apples ripen in October, marking the busiest harvest time of the year. Currently, the wild apples in Nam Nghep are still harvested entirely by hand. During the picking process, people carefully collect each apple to prevent them from falling and getting damaged. With an average yield of 2 tons/ha, the entire Ngoc Chien commune produces over 3,000 tons of fresh apples each season.

The wild apples of Nam Nghep are likened to the "rosy cheeks of a young girl." (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Although wild apples are the main crop, the economic value they bring to the people here is still not truly stable. In previous years, the price of apples at the orchard could reach 30,000 VND/kg, but recently, traders only buy them at 5,000–7,000 VND/kg, making life even more difficult for the local people.

Finding a stable market and increasing the value of wild apples is a major challenge for the government and people of Ngoc Chien commune. Even Nguyen Chien Sy, the Party Secretary of Ngoc Chien commune and a dedicated official from the 80s generation, didn't hesitate to post information about selling wild apples for the people of Ngoc Chien commune on his personal Facebook page, hoping that every kilogram of wild apples produced by the people would be welcomed by customers everywhere.

The wild apples of Nam Nghep are considered "pure gold" that the mountains and forests of Northwest Vietnam have bestowed upon the people of Nam Nghep. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

This shows that the people of Ngoc Chien are holding in their hands the "gold standard" of nature's mountains and forests in Northwest Vietnam, but they have yet to find a way to market and elevate the value of these products to help them escape poverty and become wealthy.

Realizing the dream of getting rich from wild apples.

At the first Party Congress, for the 2025-2030 term, the Ngoc Chien Commune Party Committee set clear directions for the local economic development, including important contents such as: Developing specialized farming areas; Applying technology, combining tourism and agriculture; and especially developing cooperatives.

According to Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nam Nghep Cooperative, the economic development orientations of the Ngoc Chien Commune Party Committee have provided Nam Nghep Cooperative with a very clear compass for its new development path. Based on that Resolution, Nam Nghep Cooperative quickly began implementing practical activities.

Specifically, the Nam Nghep Cooperative organized study tours to Lai Chau province to learn about community tourism models and medicinal plant cultivation. In addition, Nam Nghep village in particular and Ngoc Chien commune in general have received support from many managers and scientists in the fields of agriculture and medicinal plants over the years.

In Nam Nghep village, the locals have started cultivating medicinal herbs such as Panax ginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, and Angelica sinensis, and are especially expanding their hawthorn apple orchards. Regarding tourism, the cooperative has developed experiential tours such as the Love Bus, Ta Tao mountain climbing, salmon fishing, and art summer camps… All activities are linked to the dual goal of both increasing income and preserving the local culture and the forests of their homeland.

The wild apple is expected to help the Ngoc Chien region escape poverty and become prosperous.

In its new development plan, the Nam Nghep Cooperative chose the hawthorn apple because it is a native tree that has been closely associated with the lives of the Mong people of Ngoc Chien for generations. Previously, hawthorn apples were only used within families or sold raw at low value. However, with proper processing, the economic and medicinal value of hawthorn apples can be many times higher. The biggest advantage of hawthorn apples is that they are both a valuable medicinal ingredient and suitable for the climate and soil of the highlands. This is the path for the people to achieve sustainable wealth from their traditional crop.

The vision of the Nam Nghep Cooperative is to build the "Nam Nghep Hawthorn Apple" brand not only as an agricultural product, but also as a cultural symbol of the highlands. This brand will be associated with the image of the largest apple orchard in Vietnam, with ecotourism and the culture of the Mong ethnic community.

Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, in particular, and all the people of Ngoc Chien commune, in general, hope that products made from Nam Nghep wild apples will not only be available in the domestic market but also be exported, so that international friends will know about Nam Nghep. This will help the people here escape poverty and rise to prosperity.

This year's apple harvest is considered particularly special because the Nam Nghep Cooperative has begun processing wild apples into products, rather than just selling fresh fruit. Currently, from Son Tra apples, the Nam Nghep Cooperative produces wine, syrup, jam, tea, and vinegar. The cooperative is also experimenting with other products from medicinal herbs and wild apples, such as shampoo, body wash, and soap. These are initial but crucial steps to affirm that Nam Nghep wild apples can become a key economic crop for the village.

Products made from wild apples are being produced by the Nam Nghep Cooperative with the hope of helping local people find a new occupation to escape poverty and become wealthy. (Photo: Provided by the cooperative)

Following the trend of the digital economy, the Nam Nghep Cooperative has also brought its wild apples and other products made from this local produce to e-commerce platforms. “By bringing our wild apples to e-commerce platforms, we hope to expand our market and help farmers directly reach consumers nationwide. This will make the product's value more transparent and sustainable, avoiding the situation of 'bumper harvests leading to low prices' as before. At the same time, this is also a way for us to bring the story of Nam Nghep, the Mong people, and the Ta Tao mountains closer to our customers,” shared Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong.

As the Nam Nghep wild apple season draws to a close, besides the revenue figures, according to Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, the greatest achievement he and the local people have gained is the increased confidence of each individual. Farmers in the Ngoc Chien mountains now know that their products can be sold online, with customers near and far trusting their products. The local people are beginning to change their production mindset, focusing on quality and the product story. This is a more valuable achievement than any numbers, because this change in awareness will open a long-term path for the Nam Nghep Cooperative and the entire village.