Dong Thap Farmers Reap Big Gains from Off-Season Durian

(DTO) These days in Thanh Hung Commune, Dong Thap Province, many durian orchards are entering the off-season harvest. Along local roads, a bustling harvest scene is unfolding. Amid endless rows of fruit-laden trees, farmers are visibly delighted as this year’s durians not only yield well but also fetch excellent prices, generating significant income.

In Hamlet 4, Nguyen Thanh Lam is busy harvesting his family’s Ri6 durian orchard. He previously grew mango and guava, but the economic returns were modest.

After switching to durian, his household income gradually stabilized and improved. Nguyen Thanh Lam shared: “Mango and guava never produced returns like durian. After five years, the economic efficiency is much higher, but the care is demanding. When it gets too hot, you have to water regularly or the leaves burn and the blossoms fall. This year we harvested over four tons. After expenses, we made around 300-400 million VND. We’re very happy as the good season reaps good prices, and we’ll continue with the next crop.”

Across the commune, many households have boldly applied off-season fruiting techniques to increase production value. One example is the Monthong durian orchard of Dang Thanh Lap in Hamlet 4, now entering its harvest. The golden, heavy fruits are the result of careful investment and strict adherence to technical procedures.

Dang Thanh Lap said: “Switching to durian and doing off-season production means watching the flushes, treating yellowing leaves, applying the right fertilizers at the right time, and inducing buds stage by stage. Every seven days we carry out a treatment, then stimulate flowering. Off-season fruiting has a success rate of over 90%, with very high profits. Farmers are hitting the mark.”

Thanks to proper techniques and favorable weather, many orchards are producing high yields and excellent quality. With about 8,000 square meters of land, Lap’s orchard was pre-booked by traders while the fruit was still on the trees at roughly 130,000 VND per kilogram. After expenses, his family expects to turn a profit of more than 2 billion VND this off-season.

Growers note that durian requires meticulous care, from watering to fertilizing and pest control. When done correctly, the trees thrive, risks are reduced, and the economic payoff is substantial. Beyond yield, many households are also prioritizing organic fertilizers and biological inputs to improve fruit quality and meet both domestic and export standards.

Thanh Hung Commune is considered to have ideal climate and soil conditions for durian. The commune currently has more than 3,600 hectares under cultivation, with over 80% managed for off-season fruiting to increase production value. It also holds 36 planting area codes covering more than 1,100 hectares for export, helping local durian gradually expand its market reach.

The commune has been strengthening technology transfer and guiding farmers toward safe, sustainable production models. Nguyen Hoang Vu, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hung Commune People’s Committee, said: “We’re stepping up workshops and technology transfer, guiding farmers in adopting green, clean, and organic agricultural practices linked with developing stable markets. When receiving technical guidance, farmers must pay attention to proper application so the trees grow safely and effectively and avoid poor development.”

With favorable off-season prices, growers not only earn more but are also motivated to keep investing in this crop for the long term. From the thriving orchards in Thanh Hung, it’s clear that when farmers embrace crop restructuring, apply modern techniques, and stay responsive to market trends, the value of agricultural products can rise dramatically.

Off-season durian is increasingly proving to be a promising direction, boosting the local agricultural economy sustainably, improving livelihoods, and helping build the Thanh Hung durian brand on the market.

By D. PHI - V. NGAN
Translated by ANH DUC