In recent years, the cultivation model of Vietnamese fragrant winter melons in Văn Bàn Commune, Lào Cai Province, has emerged as a local success story, creating new opportunities for agricultural development. What began as a small-scale trial has quickly demonstrated its effectiveness. It has enabled farmers to increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods.
In the past, more than 2,000 square meters of land owned by Ms. Đặng Thị Tuyết’s family in Nà Thái Village were mainly used to grow rice, maize, and vegetables. In 2023, after visiting several successful agricultural models, including fragrant winter melon cultivation in Bắc Kạn, Ms. Tuyết recognized the crop’s economic potential and boldly converted her entire land area to trial cultivation. Although unfavorable weather conditions initially slowed plant growth, she remained determined to learn and apply proper cultivation techniques.
However, the results were promising. The plants produced large, uniform fruits with high yields, and consumers favored them for their sweetness and distinctive aroma. “Vietnamese fragrant winter melons are not only a daily food but also has medicinal value, so they are easy to sell,” Ms. Tuyết said excitedly. Beyond improving her family’s income, she has actively shared her experience and provided seedlings and technical support to other local households.
Today, seven households in Nà Thái Village have joined the model, cultivating more than 2 hectares in total. They have also established a professional farming group for Vietnamese fragrant winter melons with seven members. The formation of a concentrated production area has improved farming efficiency. It has also created favorable conditions for product linkage and market consumption. It has laid the foundation for building a local agricultural brand.
Vietnamese fragrant winter melons
As another pioneer in replacing low-efficiency crops with Vietnamese fragrant winter melons, Mr. Đỗ Thanh Bình’s family converted more than 3,000 square meters of rice fields. They also rented additional surrounding land to expand cultivation. In 2023, the first rows of winter melon plants took root, marking a shift in his agricultural mindset. At first, many local residents were hesitant because no one in the area had grown this crop before. However, after only one season, the large, glossy fruits with their distinctive aroma proved that it was the right direction.
In 2024, Mr. Bình expanded his fragrant winter melon area by another 500 square meters of low-productivity rice land. He also combined the cultivation with vegetable production, aquaculture, and poultry farming to maximize land use. By applying proper farming techniques, from soil preparation and organic fertilization to water-saving irrigation, his yield reached an average of 4 tons per crop. In addition to the main crop at the beginning of the year, he also grows a second crop to increase output. His fragrant winter melon is sold at VND 25,000 per kilogram through retail channels.
This model generates more than VND 160 million in annual income, a significant amount for farmers in mountainous areas. Mr. Bình shared: “After nearly two years of trial cultivation, I have found that this model is truly effective. A few years ago, I only thought about making enough to live on. Now, growing winter melon provides me with additional income without requiring too much hard work. What makes me happiest is that I have found a new farming direction that suits my family’s conditions and brings good returns. People around here have started following the model, and I am willing to share my knowledge and experience so we can develop together.”
Vietnamese fragrant winter melons are opening up a new direction for agricultural development in Văn Bàn. The crop is well suitable for local natural conditions, easy to care for, relatively low risk, highly productive, and has stable market demand. Besides serving consumers within the province, fragrant winter melon also has the potential to expand into wider markets. This creates a foundation for Văn Bàn to develop a distinctive agricultural brand.
Vietnamese fragrant winter melon farm
The model not only delivers significant economic benefits. It also helps change production mindsets by encouraging farmers to shift from traditional crops to higher-value agricultural products. This contributes to increasing incomes, establishing concentrated commodity production areas, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development.
Winter melon itself is not a new crop in Văn Bàn Commune. However, this is the first time that households have widely tested the fragrant winter melon variety from Bắc Kạn. The variety has aromatic stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits, as well as large, thick-fleshed fruits with high yields. According to assessments, one hectare can produce around 30 tons of fruit or more. This generates significantly higher income than several other crops.
Ms. Trịnh Thị Hòa is the Chairwoman of the Văn Bàn Commune Farmers’ Association. She stated that the commune identified the fragrant winter melon variety from former Bắc Kạn Province as suitable for local soil and climate conditions. The variety is not only easy to grow but also provides economic returns several times higher than rice or maize. Therefore, the Farmers’ Association has promoted the model and provided technical guidance to local growers. It has also encouraged farmers to expand production toward a larger-scale cultivation area.
Previously, farmers only cultivated one crop per year. Now, after mastering cultivation techniques, many households have begun growing two crops annually. “Our goal is to develop fragrant winter melon into a key commercial crop. We also aim to build it into an OCOP product of the commune in the near future. This will allow farmers to sell their products to more markets and further increase their value,” Ms. Hòa said.
Vietnamese source: https://nhandan.vn/lam-giau-tu-trong-bi-xanh-thom-post921515.html
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