In the past, people in the West often planted rosewood trees in temple yards as shade, but today this tree brings attractive income to Khmer people in rural areas.
From a little-known tree, often grown for decoration in Khmer pagodas, in recent years, the rosewood tree has become an agricultural product that helps Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Xuan (35 years old, Khmer ethnicity, Soc Trang province) earn an income. rather.
Ms. Xuan is also the leader of a pink velvet production cooperative group with 10 local members.
Ms. Xuan said that the rose is a woody tree with large foliage, less susceptible to decay and leaf loss, and has a peach shape. When the fruit is young, the outer coat is green; when ripe, the coat turns orange-yellow and red-brown. Red velvet produces fruit in clusters, each cluster has 3 to 4 fruits or more.
When ripe, the persimmon fruit falls off on its own. To eat, you need to scrub off the velvety outer layer, peel off the skin, eat immediately or chill before using.
“In the past, no one knew the value of the tree, so they just sat under the tree to cool down. When ripe fruit fell, children picked it up and ate it. Later, when people tried it, they found the fruit’s taste delicious, so they picked the fruit and sold it. for tourists. From there, I intend to grow velvet roses to improve my income,” Ms. Xuan shared.
In 2018, she took advantage of the baby rose tree growing in the temple yard and brought it back to try to plant it in her backyard. Up to now, the tree has begun to bear fruit, yield can reach 150-200kg of fruit/crop/year.
However, there are also some trees that do not bear fruit or flower but do not set fruit. This phenomenon is often called “male” trees by local people.
Because the number of customers buying commercial fruits and seedlings is quite large, Ms. Xuan has to link households in the area to supply enough for the market. When the season comes, Ms. Nhung buys ripe persimmon fruits and buys seedlings all year round.
Currently, Ms. Xuan sells velvet persimmons at prices ranging from 50,000 to 70,000 VND/kg; Seedlings alone cost from 30,000 to 400,000 VND/tree (depending on the size of the tree).
“Growing velvet roses takes little care and does not require fertilizer or medicine, so input costs are low. Mainly, I spend money to buy seedlings or seeds from people and then take them home to nurse and propagate,” Ms. Xuan added.
In addition to selling commercial velvet roses, Ms. Xuan also has a seedling nursery. Each year, supplying the market with about 10,000 trees, distributed in the provinces of Soc Trang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh…
From leisurely farm labor , thanks to rose fruit, Ms. Xuan can earn nearly 100 million VND/year, while also creating additional income for local rose rose households.
The leader of the People’s Committee of Phu Tan commune (Chau Thanh, Soc Trang) said that many local people grow red velvet trees, but the most prominent seedling production and commercial fruit sales facility is Ms. Xuan’s household.
The commune is also developing red velvet as a potential OCOP product to contribute to promoting the diversity of crop products. Since then, the rosewood tree has become a sustainable livelihood plant for local people.
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)