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| Cajuput trees dominate the vegetation at the Tràm Chim National Park in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Đồng Tháp. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhật Anh |
Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — The Đồng Tháp Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is afforesting 155ha under a province plan to grow forests through 2020.
It is also planting another three million trees around the province.
Most of the trees being planted are local or Australian cajuput.
Hồ Anh Dũng, deputy director of the department, said the two species are suitable for growing in low-lying, flood-prone areas and alum affected soil.
Every year during the flood season, cajuput trees live in inundated areas for three to five months, he said.
Đồng Tháp is one of the most flooded provinces in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta when the Mekong River and its tributaries rise between August and November.
In the past cajuput trees were planted on flat lands which caused them to grow slowly – taking 10-12 years for harvest -- and yield less timber.
But now they are grown on ridges, which helps rid the soil of alum, increases yield and reduces harvest period to six to nine years.
Đồng Tháp is buying cajuput seedlings from Long An and Đồng Nai provinces since its own output is not enough.
This year cajuput farmers in Đồng Tháp have made big profits since tree prices have increased.
In July traders bought four-five-year-old cajuput trees in Đồng Tháp’s Tháp Mười District at VNĐ100-110 million (US$4,500 – 5,000) per hectare, giving farmers profits of VNĐ70 -80 million.
The province has more than 5,600ha of forests, including more than 2,580ha of special use forests, 1,000ha of protective forests and 1,980ha of commercial forests, according to the People’s Committee. —VNS
