This produce has gradually created its own brand and consumers can readily collect all information on availability and prices by scanning their phones over a sticker on the guava, which will confirm that it is a VietGAP tested product.
More productive than rice
The rice growing area of Tay Xuan in Huong Xuan ward in Huong Tra town of Thua Thien-Hue province is now the largest guava growing area in the Central region. Mr. Phạm Viết Hồng who lives in Huong Xuan Ward proudly led guests to visit his guava garden and talk about the origin of the guava trees in his hometown. He said that in the early 80s, Mr. Huỳnh Thế Hối in An Do village in Huong Chu ward of Huong Tra town was an officer of the new Economic Department of Huong Dien district. After he went on a business trip to the South and brought back some guavas as gifts, everyone who ate them found them delicious, sweet, and crispy, so Mr. Hối took the seed and planted it in his garden. Since then, the guava variety has propagated in the region and gradually helped alleviate poverty from Huong Xuan.
The whole Huong Xuan ward currently has more than 200 households growing guava over an area of about 45 hectares, concentrated in the residential groups of Trung Thon, Xuan Thap, Thuong Khe, and Lieu Nam. However, in the process of cultivating and taking care of people the planning of guava growing was not guaranteed and had not been promoted. Ms. Phạm Thị Ngọc Huế, Secretary of Huong Tra Town, said that in order to transfer science and technology to farmers, there was need to improve technical efficiency, develop guava trees and other commodity products. To remain safe and sustainable, from the beginning of 2021, Huong Tra Town and the Economic Department of the Town cooperated with Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry to survey and investigate the current situation to build and implement a project to build a VietGap model and perfect the Huong Xuan guava product.
The highlight of the project is the cultivation process, and the scientists instruct the gardeners to keep the grass layer underneath the guava garden to prevent soil erosion and ensure the soil temperature remains suitable. At the same time this will create an environment for natural pests that are beneficial to guava trees and improve biodiversity in the orchard, so people visiting the garden can pick a guava and eat it right away in the garden. Thereby, Huong Xuan guava can step by step affirm its brand and be recognized as a product meeting VietGap standards; participate in trade fairs and clean food stores inside and outside the province; and bring significant income to the people of the region. Accordingly, the price of VietGap Huong Xuan guava sold right in the garden will remain stable at VND 25,000 per kilo, and the income from the guava crops will be ten times higher than that of growing rice in the same area without pressure from traders.
Use of technology
The project to build a VietGap model and perfect Huong Xuan guava product has been approved with the youth participating in digital transformation for people in Huong Tra Town, together with the Economic Department of the town, experts and scientists from Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry and the ward farmers' associations. The basis of helping people establish the Huong Xuan guava production cooperative group will receive the support of many departments. There will also be training courses for guava growers to improve the production process, optimize resources, commit to clean and green products, protect consumers, follow safety for workers, minimize environmental pollution, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development. At the same time, by applying information technology and moving towards digital transformation, guava produce will rise above many other crops in value.
Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Giang, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Council of Huong Xuan Ward, said that when it came to digital transformation for guava, everyone thought big, but actually worked closely every day. The entire process of planting, caring for and harvesting produce in this model is carried out in a safe direction and limits the use of inorganic fertilizers. Pest control is done by biological methods. All technical measures applied to production are updated on Huong Xuan clean guava website. Products released to the market all have traceability stamps, allowing consumers to know information about the origin, production logs, and videos of the entire production process. This is the first step to help farmers digitally convert many other crops and ensure their products reach customers directly.
In order for gardeners to promote information technology in the production and supply of clean agricultural products, Huong Xuan ward unions coordinated with Vietinbank Huong Tra transaction office to go to each house to guide people to grow guava to create a Zalo account and to join the guava consulting group. They taught how to register the amount of guava expected to sell in a week and in a month before going on the e-commerce floor. At the same time, they created a bank account so that when guavas are sold on the e-commerce platform the money is returned to the relative's account.
Geographical indication of VietGAP Huong Xuan guava gardens on Google Maps informs every one of the locations and to come and visit to experience firsthand. This entire effort required mobilizing the people to build the VietGAP guava brand with environmental criteria in mind and product quality safety before reaching consumers.
