"Digitalizing" Lai Dong specialties

Over the past ten years, the mountainous region of Lai Dong has "introduced" a specialty tangerine variety that is favored by consumers from all regions, who are looking for it even though the price is much higher than the familiar tangerine varieties on the market. Getting rich on difficult land is no longer a dream, a promising direction, but has really existed on the Lai Dong hills and forests and is developing to new heights with effective ideas and solutions to help improve the quality, value of goods, and economic efficiency from the priceless gift of nature...

Lai Dong specialty tangerines have been helping many households escape poverty and become sustainably rich.

Sweet fruit on barren land

Living in the Dong Than area with towering mountains and hills as far as the eye can see, like most Muong families in the area, since he was able to run and jump, and was skillful with knives and hoes, Dang Quang Tiep has been used to going up the mountain to help his parents cut grass and take care of the hills of raw materials. Forestry work is inherently hard, busy all year round, with successive forest planting cycles, but life can only be called adequate.

Unable to continue the path of poverty, to be able to be productive, we must have a new direction, breaking the prejudice that hilly and forest land can only be used to grow raw materials, despite everyone's criticism and gossip, in 2012, after taking the trouble to visit many regions to see fruit gardens, learn techniques, planting and care experiences, Mr. Tiep decided to harvest the entire eucalyptus and acacia hills, clear the ground cover, spend all his savings and borrow more to invest in growing tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, lemons...

Like gambling with the sky, for several years his family felt like sitting on a pile of fire when the plants were sometimes stunted and sometimes withered due to pests and diseases. Persistently studying the techniques of caring for and treating diseases for plants, taking care of the plants like taking care of a baby with all the faith and determination to pursue to the end, the first crop brought great joy to his family. The tangerines had a good harvest and good price, he earned a large sum of money, much higher than growing raw materials forests.

In the following years, rumors about his family's specialty Muong Kit tangerine variety spread further and further, prices skyrocketed, and wherever tangerines were picked, there were traders waiting to buy them, bringing in more and more profits.

Currently, his family has 7 hectares of oranges and tangerines, with an average annual yield of about 50 tons and a revenue of about 1.5 billion VND. Of which, 3 hectares are Muong Kit specialty tangerines with an average selling price of 45,000 - 50,000 VND/kg.

Overwhelmed by the economic efficiency of tangerine trees, families in the surrounding area began to come to him to learn and invest in growing tangerines on the hills.

Ripe Muong Kit tangerines have a bright, shiny yellow color, attractive appearance, yellow flesh, rich sweetness and especially when peeled, have a characteristic aroma.

To develop, it is necessary to expand the scale and link production. In 2021, the Muong Kit Fruit and Medicinal Plants Cooperative was established with him as the Director with the goal of developing an agricultural model that applies technology to production, creating safe agricultural products that are favored by the market, focusing on specialty tangerine varieties and some suitable fruit trees.

To date, the cooperative has 12 official members and 10 associated member households, with over 10 regular workers. The area of ​​​​orange and tangerine cultivation has expanded to more than 50 hectares and is all cultivated in a safe organic direction. 7 hectares of tangerines and 2 hectares of oranges have been certified to meet VietGAP standards...

Grown on low mountain slopes with a cool climate, Muong Kit specialty oranges and tangerines are large, round, ripe with bright yellow color, shiny, attractive appearance, yellow pulp, rich sweetness and especially when peeled have a characteristic aroma.

In recent years, specialty oranges and tangerines have brought in a large source of income, helping many families have a prosperous life. “Specialty orange and tangerine trees have truly become a “treasure” helping us, the people of Lai Dong, escape poverty and become sustainably rich…” – Mr. Dang Quang Tiep – Director of the Muong Kit Fruit and Medicinal Plants Cooperative confidently affirmed.

Building a sustainable brand associated with eco-tourism development is the orientation of Lai Dong commune with its specialty tangerine growing area.

Enhance value

Accompanying people in transforming crop and livestock structures on the basis of promoting existing potentials and strengths, increasing the value of goods and the economic efficiency of agricultural products, Party committees and local authorities have implemented many practical and specific activities to help promote and improve the quality and value of specialty tangerine varieties.

In 2023, Muong Kit Thai tangerine products were certified as 3-star OCOP standard products. In the same year, the Cooperative proposed and was approved to implement the Project "Creating, managing and developing the collective brand "Muong Kit" for orange and tangerine products of Tan Son district, Phu Tho province". Immediately after the merger, Lai Dong Commune People's Committee implemented the Science and Technology Project: "Application of digital technology in management, conservation and development of local specialty tangerine varieties of Lai Dong commune, Phu Tho province".

Mr. Ho Sy Manh, Chairman of Lai Dong Commune People's Committee shared: "Lai Dong specialty tangerines (Muong Kit tangerines, Xuan Son wild tangerines) are a rare native genetic resource with high economic, nutritional and cultural value. In recent years, along with the development of commodity economy and the trend of consuming specialty agricultural products, Lai Dong tangerines are increasingly favored by the market and have become a potential product to develop into a typical local commodity.

However, current production practices still reveal many limitations: Varieties are not scientifically managed, genetic resources are at risk of degeneration; planting areas are fragmented and scattered; technical processes are not synchronized; product consumption does not have tools to authenticate and provide transparent information.

In particular, Lai Dong tangerines are not currently managed on a digital platform, and digital technology has not been applied in production, conservation and traceability, leading to low production efficiency and commercial value compared to their potential.

Applying digital technology to the management, conservation and development of Lai Dong tangerines is an urgent and strategic requirement to help the commune have a digital database system on varieties, standardized cultivation processes, original seed gardens managed by digital technology, intensive production models applying IoT (Internet of Things) and electronic traceability systems.

Muong Kit tangerines are present at trade fairs, promoting local agricultural products.

Thereby, we can both preserve precious genetic resources and improve management, care and production efficiency, and at the same time build a sustainable brand associated with eco-tourism development, increase economic value and affirm the position of Lai Dong tangerines in the domestic and international markets...

With a total estimated budget of 3.5 billion VND, over a period of 36 months (from January 2026 to December 2028), according to calculations, the Scientific Project will bring about clear and sustainable economic efficiency. Applying digital technology in management and care helps reduce production costs (reducing irrigation water by 20-30%, reducing pesticide costs by 15-20%) thanks to smart irrigation systems, pest monitoring and early warning.

At the same time, applying the digitalization process helps increase the average tangerine yield from 12-13 tons/ha to 15-17 tons/ha, with uniform fruit quality, less pests and diseases, and longer preservation time.

With an average selling price of 25,000-30,000 VND/kg, the value can reach 350-400 million VND/ha/year, an increase of about 20-30% compared to traditional production. The application of the electronic traceability system helps to enhance the reputation of the product, expand the consumption market in supermarkets and clean agricultural product stores, and move towards official export.

Along with that, the topic contributes practically to creating stable jobs for people, increasing income, promoting the development of cooperatives, collective economy and linking production with ecotourism. Applying digital technology and modern care processes helps to minimize the abuse of chemical drugs, protect land and water resources and maintain a sustainable ecosystem.

Not only increasing productivity, quality and product value, applying digital technology in management, conservation and development will help enhance the competitiveness of Lai Dong tangerines, creating the basis for developing them into 4-5 star OCOP products. The elevation of specialty tangerines also means that Lai Dong forest land is warmed in a rich, prosperous green color...

Cam Ninh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/so-hoa-dac-san-lai-dong-241185.htm