Nguyễn Đình Trí grows table grape variety NH01-152 in a polygreen house in Ninh Sơn District’s Nhơn Sơn Commune. – VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

NINH THUẬN — The south-central province of Ninh Thuận is developing the cultivation of new grape varieties in polygreen houses to mitigate the impact of inclement weather and improve fruit quality.  

The country’s largest grape producing province has faced inclement weather, especially unusual rains, in recent years, and this growing model helps farmers adapt to weather changes and secure stable harvests and high quality grapes.

Nguyễn Đình Trí in Ninh Sơn District’s Nhơn Sơn Commune built a 2,500 sq.m polygreen house for growing his grapes last year.

He plants three grape varieties: NH01-152, NH04-102 and Mẫu Đơn. 

The cost of building a polygreen house is about VNĐ250 million (US$10,500) per 1,000 sq.m, and comes with auto irrigating and fertilising facilities.

Grapes planted in polygreen houses have few diseases, grow well, easily have flowers and bear fruit, and yield two to three harvests a year, he said.

He harvested more than 1.5 tonnes of grape varieties in his last crop for revenue of VNĐ200 million ($8,400), he said.

“Grapes planted in polygreen houses have look beautiful and are only harvested when properly ripened, so they have high quality,” he said.

Bùi Văn Trong, chairman of the Nhơn Sơn Commune Farmers Association, said the cultivation of new grape varieties such as NH01-152 and NH04-102 in polygreen houses produces grapes with higher quality compared to traditional growing methods, and has high production efficiency.

The association will organise more training courses on growing grapes in polygreen houses and field trips to polygreen houses for farmers, he said.

Ninh Thuận has created various new grape varieties in recent years and strengthened advanced growing techniques to improve income for farmers.

The prices of grapes planted in polygreen houses are 20 per cent higher than traditional growing grapes, according to the province-based Nha Hố Research Institute for Cotton and Agriculture Development.

In 2018, the institute began implementing a project to research producing grapes with the application of advanced techniques.

It has designed Y-shape trellises with net covers to make grape vines grow better; and used polygreen houses, automatic irrigation facilities and integrated pest management.

It has created new seedless grape varieties NH04-61 and NH04-128, which grow well, fruit easily and are resistant to diseases.

Phạm Văn Phước, director of the institute’s Consulting and Technology Development Centre, said the institute has provided advanced techniques for farmers through seminars and field trips.

Many farmers and companies have successfully implemented growing grapes in polygreen houses, he said.

The province People’s Committee has ordered relevant departments and agencies to co-operate with research institutes to create more new grape varieties, have support policies for hi-tech grape cultivation in combination with tourism services, and promote the brand names of high quality grapes.

The province has about 1,100ha of grapes, growing mostly two table grape varieties - Red Carnial and NH 01-48 green grape - with the former accounting for about 80 per cent of the growing area.

It has supported farmers to grow grapes to Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards, and tightened the use of Ninh Thuận grape geographical indicators.  

It has also granted of the use of Ninh Thuận grape geographical indication and smart stamps for origin traceability for more farmers.

Grape-related products

Ninh Thuận has encouraged investors to invest in manufacturing grape-related products to increase grape value.

It now has 60 establishments that produce grape wines and 25 grape drying plants that can process tens of tonnes of fresh grapes a day.

More farmers have contracted with companies to grow grapes and secure their outlets.

Nguyễn Diệp in Ninh Phước District’s Phước Thuận Commune has contracted with a company to grow the wine grape Syrah.

He grows the fruit under farming techniques provided by the company and is paid a minimum price of VNĐ15,000 (63 US cents) a kilogramme.    

With the contracted price, he earns a profit of at least VNĐ10,000 (42 US cents) a kiogramme, he said.

The province has promoted the sales of fresh grapes and grape-related products at tourism destinations, supermarkets, convenience stores, sites that show products under the country’s “One Commune-One Product” programme, and e-commerce platforms.

It has also boosted the development of tourism services in grape orchards.

Thái An grape village in Ninh Hải District’s Vĩnh Hải Commune is a popular tourism destination where visitors can watch grape orchards, enjoy fresh grapes and other grape related products.

The village has about 150ha of grape, including 30ha of the Thái An General Agriculture Co-operative.

Nguyễn Khắc Phòng, director of the co-operative, said: “Thanks to tourism services, more and more people know the brand names of Thái An grapes in particular and Ninh Thuận grapes in general, and this helps promote the sales of grapes and the province’s other specialty products such as garlic and red onion.” – VNS