A farmer covers mangoes with bags (Photo: VNA)An Giang (VNA) - Since switching to growing mangoes of three colours, farmer Nguyen Hoang Du in the Mekong Delta province is no longer worried about finding a market for them.
Instead of seeking ways to sell the mangoes, Du now just stays at home, waiting for the businesses or trade dealers that visit his property to order a large quantity of mangoes for export.
The mango skin changes from green to a reddish purple when it ripens, so locals have named it the "mango of three colours."
With seeds being imported from Taiwan, this mango variety has grown popular in the Mekong Delta region over the past five years due to its large size, pretty colours and pleasant taste. The fruit is also known as the "Taiwanese mango."
The trees grow well, flowering easily and bearing fruit 18 months after being planted. Each mango weighs between 450g and 700g on average, with the largest ones reaching nearly 2kg.
Due to flagging demand, Du and many other farmers in Cho Moi district's Binh Phuoc Xuan commune decided to get rid of their traditional plants and switched to growing three-colour mangoes five years ago.
"We should grow what the market needs, not just what we think is good," Du told VTC online television.
"Consumers now favour the mango of three colours due to its large size and colourful appearance, even though it may not be as sweet as other kinds of mangoes," he said.
During peak season, an estimated 100 tonnes of mangoes are exported each day.
They cost some 40,000 VND (USD 1.8) per kilogramme.
Each hectare of mango trees produces some 10 tonnes of fruit, bringing in an average income of 120 million VND per hectare per year.
"The living conditions of my family have greatly improved thanks to growing this plant," Du said.
The mangoes have quickly gained favour amongst consumers for meeting not only their taste preferences but also the national Good Agricultural Practice (VietGap) standards.
Chairman of the communal People's Committee Huynh Van Cuong said local authorities initially provided financial aid worth 50 million VND to help analyse samples of land and water and organise training sessions for the farmers to help them adapt to VietGap's standards.
The province will invest more than 3 billion VND to build refrigerated storehouses to help farmers preserve their fruits better, he said.-VNA
