The high-quality NH 01 - 26 grape variety being grown on a trial basis in Ninh Thuận Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

NINH THUẬN — The south- central province of Ninh Thuận, the country’s largest grape producer, will expand the cultivation of a high-quality, disease-resistant new variety, NH 01 – 26.

NH 01 – 26 was created by the province’s Nha Hố Research Institute for Cotton and Agriculture Development and transferred to farmers in Thái An village in Ninh Hải District’s Vĩnh Hải Commune to grow on a trial basis since 2018.

It matures in eight to 10 months and can be harvested up to three times a year, each yielding nine to 12 tonnes per hectare.

It has a thin black skin, and, when ripe, is sweet has a unique aroma. It can be eaten fresh or used to make wine.

Phan Công Kiên, deputy head of the institute, said NH 01 – 26 has outstanding characteristics such as disease resistance and tolerance to unfavourable conditions.

It is better than all the province’s existing grape varieties and cheaper to grow, farmers do not need to prune its young fruits like with other varieties, and its pesticide requirement is 40 – 60 per cent lower than others, he added.

Nguyễn Khắc Phòng of Thái An, one of first farmers to grow the variety, has been growing the grape on 2,000sq.m of land to Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards for more than a year.

It could be grown in many different kinds of soil and require less tending than other varieties, he said.

The yield is not as high as some others, but its outstanding quality means it fetches VNĐ100,000 (US$4.3) per kilogramme right on the farm, many times higher than the province’s traditional red variety of grape, he said.

He plans to expand its cultivation to offer eco-tourism services at his orchard, he said. 

The institute is completing the procedures to begin commercial farming of the variety, and expects it to be grown on a large scale from next year.

Đặng Kim Cương, director of the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said to exploit the potential of NH 01 – 26, the department is instructing relevant agencies to teach farmers growing techniques that conform to VietGAP standards and expand cultivation of the grape.

In recent years the province has created several new high-quality grape varieties like NH 04-61, NH 04-128 and NH 01-152, and is growing them on a pilot basis.

The country’s driest province has more than 1,300ha of commercial grape farming, since the fruit grows well in warm, dry weather.

The grape growing areas are mostly in Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm City and the districts of Ninh Hải, Ninh Phước and Ninh Sơn. — VNS