Located right next to Highway 6, Ta Niet is an area with a terrain mainly of limestone mountains. Previously, people in the village mainly cultivated vegetables and some fruit trees, but the economic efficiency was not high. Finding new crops suitable for the soil in the Ta Niet limestone mountains has always received the attention of the Party Committee, local authorities as well as the people. In 2015, with the orientation of the commune, people in Ta Niet began to cultivate custard apple trees. Thanks to proper fertilization techniques, suitable soil and climate, custard apple trees grow well. Up to now, the whole Ta Niet village has about 150 hectares of the largest concentrated cultivation area in the commune and district.

Custard apple growing area in Ta Niet village.

These days, all the roads in the small village of Ta Niet are more bustling with the excited laughter of custard apple farmers. With good care techniques and suitable climate and soil conditions of the village, custard apple trees produce large fruits, few seeds, large thorns, open eyes, lots of pulp, have a delicious and characteristic flavor and are favored by consumers.

From afar, the 15-hectare custard apple garden of Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang's family in Ta Niet village is covered in the green color of prosperity. We followed the concrete road built by the households for convenience in traveling, taking care of and harvesting custard apples, then stopped at Mr. Thang's custard apple garden. Right from the garden gate, we could smell the fragrant aroma of ripe custard apples.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang, Ta Niet village, harvests custard apples.

Mr. Thang enthusiastically took us to visit the garden and shared: In 2020, the family switched to growing custard apple trees with about 7,000 trees, including: custard apple, Taiwanese pineapple custard apple and Thai custard apple. Thanks to being fertilized according to VietGAP standards, custard apples produce large, even and delicious fruit. This year, custard apples are sold for 40-50,000 VND/kg, with traders coming to buy them. This year, 1 hectare of custard apples produces about 10 tons of fruit.

Continuing along the road to Ta Niet village, we saw more clearly the economic efficiency that custard apple trees bring. Spacious houses are built next to the green custard apple hills. Custard apple trees have become the main crop, bringing high economic efficiency.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Nhi, owner of a custard apple garden in Ta Niet village, Chieng Hac commune, shared: The family currently has nearly 4 hectares of custard apples, thanks to the investment in a smart irrigation system that has greatly supported the family in caring for the custard apple trees. The good news spreads far and wide, the custard apples produced according to VietGAP standards, with their sweet and fragrant flavors, are increasingly known by many consumers. In addition to selling to traders, the family has expanded the market by consuming on online sales channels, such as: Facebook, Tiktok... each day the family can sell up to 3 tons of custard apples at a price of over 45,000 VND/kg.

Not only contributing to increasing income for families, many custard apple orchards in the village also create seasonal jobs for many local workers with an income of 6-10 million VND/person/month. From the economic efficiency brought, up to now, in addition to Ta Niet, custard apple trees are also growing and developing in the land of Tay Hung and Tan Thuat villages.

Ta Niet villagers pack custard apples to transport to wholesale markets.

Talking about the crop that brings high economic efficiency in the commune, Mr. Vi Van Bien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chieng Hac commune, informed: The whole commune currently has 300 hectares of custard apples. The commune has actively promoted, disseminated, and guided custard apple growers to apply science and technology; built a process to monitor production and care for custard apple trees in a safe direction to thereby improve product quality, ensuring standards for export. In the 2023 custard apple crop, some households earned from 1-2 billion VND/crop. In order for custard apple trees to develop further, the commune is coordinating with specialized departments of the district to support custard apple growers in building their image and promoting the custard apple brand to consumers; promoting and mobilizing gardeners to grow custard apples in the direction of building concentrated specialized growing areas, promoting registration for growing area codes to expand the consumption market.

Saying goodbye to the custard apple orchards in Ta Niet, we still had the joyful feelings of this year's bountiful custard apple harvest. The sweet ripe custard apples are a precious gift to repay the efforts of the growers, so that the lives of the people here can become more and more prosperous.

Linh Trang