BAC GIANG – On the weekends of June, despite high temperature, many groups of tourists still flocked to the Ha Den vineyards laden with fruit at the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University. Everyone was excited with harvesting and enjoying ripe grapes, and sipping wine distilled by the growers themselves. They did not miss the opportunity to “check in” by the bunches of ripe grapes.
MSc Phung Duy Hieu, Director of the university’s Center for Research, Application and Transfer of Agriculture – Forestry Technology, took us through crowds of tourists to the Ha Den grape production area.
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MSc Phung Duy Hieu takes care of Ha Den grapes. |
Here, the grapes are planted in straight rows, with neatly trimmed branches stretching out on a “Y” shaped steel trellis. They are covered with a transparent plastic layer (or membrane house) to prevent rain and dew from falling directly on the leaves.
Picking a bunch of ripe grapes, Hieu invited us to enjoy it. Everyone was amazed by the strong sweetness, mixed with the gentle aroma of early-season grapes.
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Harvesting Ha Den grapes. |
He shared: “According to research results, the Brix (sweetness) of Ha Den grapes grown at the center ranges from 17-19, 3-5 degrees higher than other grape varieties grown in the country. This characteristic makes Ha Den grapes favored by many consumers.”
Hieu said that in September 2016, within the framework of the 14th China-ASEAN Expo held in Nanning city of China, an agreement on the Vietnam-China agricultural science-technology corridor cooperation project was signed. The project’s goal is to supplement the plant varieties for Vietnam’s border provinces.
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MSc Phung Duy Hieu guides farmers to care for grapes. |
In early 2017, a high-tech agricultural demonstration model at the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University was conducted under the technology transfer of China’s Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences for three crops, including Ha Den grape, melon and new corn varieties. The center was assigned by the university to be in charge of this project, which is led by Phung Duy Hieu.
Under the project, 800 Ha Den grape vines were planted in the school’s 2,200sq.m garden. With dedicated guidance of experts from the Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hieu has mastered the techniques from planting, scaffolding, fertilizing to harvesting; and guided his colleagues to apply them successfully.
In November 2018, the grapes were harvested for the second time, with a yield of more than 300kg per sao (360sq.m). This affirmed that Ha Den grape produces two crops per year. With a wholesale price of 130,000 VND per kg, after deducting all costs, the profit is about 23 million VND (905 USD) per sao per sao.
With the goal of expanding the project and developing Ha Den grapes throughout the North, in March 2019, the center imported 10,000 seedlings to plant in eight provinces and cities (representing ecological regions in the North), namely Cao Bang, Son La, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, with a total area of more than 2.5 hectares.
After more than half a year, under the technical guidance and technology transfer of Hieu and his colleagues, grapes in all these provinces were harvested, with a yield of 350kg per sao per crop.
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Ha Den vineyard at the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University. |
From the above results, in September 2020, the Ha Den grape variety was granted a protection certificate and announced for circulation by the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, becoming an important fruit tree for farmers in the northern provinces to grow.
In June 2021, the center’s Ha Den vineyard was recognized by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as a leading vineyard for seed production.
Currently, the center sells 40,000-50,000 seedlings per year. The grape production area of the Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University has become an interesting destination for sightseeing and experiencing, attracting 2,000-3,000 visitors each year. Its revenue from Ha Den grape products reaches about 7 billion VND (275,428) per year, ensuring income for nearly 20 employees.
Source: BBG – https://en.baobacgiang.vn/
