Visitors enjoy rambutan they picked at a fruit orchard in Ninh Son district’s Lam Son commune in Ninh Thuan province. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) Ninh Thuan (VNA) - The central province of Ninh Thuanis developing eco-tourism activities by opening up farmers’ fruit orchards tovisitors, according to the province’s Department of Culture, Sports andTourism.
About 800 hectares of many kinds of fruits,including mangosteen, durian, and rambutan, are grown in Lam Son commune in theprovince’s Ninh Son district.
Visitors can pick the fruits for a low price of10,000 (0.45 USD) per kilo for rambutan, 35,000 VND (1.5 USD) per kilo formangosteen and 40,000 VND (1.8 USD) per kg for durian.
About eight years ago, the orchard owners beganinviting friends during the harvest season to introduce them to fruits grown inthe provinces of the Mekong Delta.
Since the fruits cultivated in Ninh Thuan provincehave a much higher quality than others planted in the Mekong Delta, and ahigher productivity rate, farmers now earn about three times more than theymade from rice or corn.
Phan Huu Thanh, a farmer from Lam Son commune inNinh Son district, said he started a fruit orchard in 1990 and now has about2.3ha with 370 plants of various kinds of fruits, including durian, mangosteen,green grapefruit and rambutan. He earns about 150 million VND (7,000 USD) peryear.
Most orchard owners collect an average of 40,000VND (1.8 USD) per visitor, he said, adding that most visitors book a day orweek before the harvest season. There is no need to buy a ticket, but visitorsmust pay for the fruits they pick.
To protect the orchard from damage, Thanhreceives no more than 50 visitors a day.
Nguyen Thi Hoa, from Da Lat, said her familyvisits Thanh’s fruit orchard every harvest season to pick fruits and enjoychicken dishes made with fruits.
Lam Son commune has about 210 householdscultivating fruit on a total of 236ha that once was used to grow rice or corn.
Truong Thanh Quyen, chairman of the commune’sPeople’s Committee, said the fruit orchards had improved the lives of localfarmers, who have been encouraged to expand their orchards.
Besides fruit orchards, the province isdeveloping the cultivation of vineyard grapes for winemaking.
About 400 households cultivate grapes on a totalarea of 180ha in Ninh Hai district, according to Luu Xuan Hai, vice chairman ofNinh Hai district’s Vinh Hai commune.
Chau Thanh Hai, Director of the province’sDepartment of Culture, Sport and Tourism, said the department was working withother districts and cities in the province to expand the fruit orchard model.-VNA
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