Vu Van Luc says growing strawberries is more economically efficient than some other plants in Moc Chau (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - After graduation from Hanoi’sNational Economic University, all the friends of Bachelor of Economics Vu VanLuc sought jobs in the city. But he decided to return to his homeland in thenorthern mountainous province of Son La to realise his dream of cultivatingstrawberries.
From the trial plot growing on 1,000sq.m in Moc Chau district, the young mannow owns 4ha of strawberries and makes an average profit of 500 million VND(21,700 USD) per year.
Luc was born and raised in Ang village, Dong Sang commune of Moc Chaudistrict. Since childhood, he dreamed of growing up to become anagronomist.
However, after graduating from high school in 2009, Luc enrolled and went on tostudy at the National Economic University, following his parents’ advices.
During college, he stumbled onto an article on the Internet about method ofstrawberry cultivation that was highly economically efficient, Luc tolddanviet.vn online newspaper.
His passion for agriculture suddenly returned.
In the city, he decided to plant a trial strawberry garden on a 10sq.m plot.
“Every day, after class, besides reviewing my homework, I spent all my freetime caring for my small strawberry garden,” he said.
Over time, he learned how to grow the plants most effectively and came to enjoythe process.
“Looking at the strawberry plants growing well, I felt very excited andintended to develop the farming model when I returned to the countryside,"he recalled.
In 2013, he graduated from the University with a good degree. Rather thanapplying for a job in State agencies or enterprises in the city like hisclassmates, Luc determined to pursue the dream of making a life for himself bygrowing strawberries.
Thinking that “To succeed, you must gain practical experiences”, he wentdirectly to the Central Highlands city of Da Lat to learn techniques from theexperienced strawberry growers. He didn’t hesitate to work for a largestrawberry garden’s owner in Da Lat. After two years, Lực had accumulated muchexperience in planting strawberries and decided to return to his homeland ofMoc Chau to set up his farming model.
He remembered that when he decided to grow strawberries in his hometown, hisparents didn’t object but didn’t show much cheerfulness. Many neighbours commentedthat so far no one had brought a “strange tree" like the strawberry toplant in Moc Chau. But he kept the words out of his ears, determined to turnhis dream into reality.
500 million VND profit from 4ha of strawberry
In 2015, with the money he saved while working as hired labour in Da Lat, heborrowed more money from family, relatives and friends and then invested inrenting land and buying seeds for his trial planting on a 1,000 sq.m area.
Thanks to the proper planting and care, his strawberry orchard has grown well.
After three months, he collected the first sweet fruit. His first harvestnetted a profit of nearly 30 million VND.
This first victory helped him gain more confidence and boldly invest inexpanding the strawberry growing area.
He now grows on all four hectares of his strawberry garden at Moc Chau. Theresult has surprised and impressed not only his relatives but also people allover town.
According to Luc, the strawberry is temperate plant, suitable for Moc Chau’scool weather all year round.
“Easy to plant and easy to care for, but its economic efficiency is many timeshigher than that of maize, cassava,” he revealed about strawberry.
“Strawberry cultivation is not technically demanding, but it must be hard forfarmers to earn high benefit.”
He said the most decisive step in the development of strawberries was theselection of seed. Seedlings should be healthy plants so that they can resistdiseases during the process of growing up. Land preparation must ensureporosity, clean soil and the right dosage of fertilizer at each stage ofplant’s development. Among his total 4ha is a 4,000sq.m greenhouse.
In order to save labour, he has invested in a small irrigation system based onIsraeli technology. He adjusts the water-volume depending on the weather; forexample, he waters two to three times each sunny day.
He developed his strawberry growing model based on the principles of cleanagriculture, eschewing pesticides.
With their characteristic red and fragrant berries, Fragaria and Chipistrawberries are preferred by many customers. Traders from Sơn La and Hanoipoured into his garden to purchase fruit.
In 2017, he earned 1 billion VND revenue from his strawberry plot. Afterexpenses such as seeds, fertilizer and harvest, he earned a 500 million VNDprofit.
He also created regular jobs for more than 20 local labourers with an averageincome of 4.5 million VND per person per month. This motivates the youngman to continue to work on the strawberry garden. -VNA
VNA
