Known as “Cao Son Ngoc Que”, the variety of Tra My cinnamon is considered one of the key crops to help people eliminate poverty and a motivation to build sustainable new rural areas. The products from cinnamon are competitive with table selling price, gradually conquering the domestic and international markets.
Locals are excited to harvest when having a bumper crop of cinnamon and good prices.
These days, farmers in Nam Tra My district are entering cinnamon harvest season. Cinnamon bark this year has a higher price than the previous years, which has been bringing a significant income to many households to improve their living standard. To help people become more attached to the cinnamon, the authority here has been building and expanding good solutions to promote the development of Tra My cinnamon.
Having a bumper crop and good prices
From the end of March to the beginning of April is the time when people are busy with cinnamon harvest season. In recent years, thanks to stable output, cinnamon has been purchased and transported for consumption quickly. During this time, cinnamon bark is easy to peel and has the most essential oils. Cinnamon has a long life and a much higher economic value than other material trees. All products from cinnamon such as bark, stem, leaves, and branches can be sold to production facilities using cinnamon as processing materials. Because of this advantage, products from cinnamon always have high economic value in the market.
In Hamlet 1, Tra Don, almost everyone is willing to show the way to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Oanh’s house, who is the most cinnamon grower in the commune.
Mr. Oanh said: “Currently, the price of cinnamon is ranged from 60,000 VND/kg to 70,000 VND/kg. A mature cinnamon tree has about 15 kg of bark with a value of about one million VND. A hectare has about 1000-1200 trees, bringing an income of 1 – 1.2 billion VND. With a cinnamon farm of more than 10 ha, my family can earn from a few dozen to a few hundred million VND every year. “
Almost people in the district grow cinnamon, especially in Tra Leng commune and Tra Mai commune. Cinnamon trees are grown everywhere, in the forests, on the hills, and around the houses. One household has at least more than a few hundred trees, a few hectares at most, bringing an income from a few million VND to a few tens of million VND each season.
Ms. Ho Thi Yen – Hamlet 1, Tra Dua shared: “In the past, my family only grew rice and had to work hard for each meal all year round. In 1998, thanks to the State’s support program, my family decided to grow more than 2,400 cinnamon trees on an area of nearly two hectares. After dozens of years, up to now, our family’s cinnamon hill is ready for harvest. Each year, on average, we earn from 50 to 70 million VND. Therefore, we have money to build a spacious house and buy home comforts. Seeing the economic efficiency from cinnamon, my family has invested in expanding the growing area, increasing our total area of cinnamon to more than five hectares; in which, more than two hectares are being harvested.”
Mr. Tran Van Nuong – Party Committee Deputy Secretary of Tra Dua Commune affirmed: “With the current price of cinnamon, there are no effective crops like cinnamon. Unlike other crops, farmers can take advantage of the stem, leaves, bark, etc from cinnamon trees to sell to traders for making many different products. Locals are so excited by the income from cinnamon, which has contributed to the construction of new rural areas, especially in the implementation of two difficult criteria on poor households and income”.
Tra My cinnamon products.
Focusing on conservation and development
The People’s Committee of Nam Tra My district has made a plan to conserve and develop Tra My cinnamon and allocate funding for implementation. In 2019, 1,578 million VND was used to support 361,500 cinnamon trees for 670 households/10 communes on a total growing area of 345 ha. Besides, the authority had encouraged the intercropping of 10,285 orange trees/74.8 ha/310 households/10 communes and the care of 30 dominant trees, and 10 hectares of seed forest. At the same time, ten training courses were held to guide techniques for 670 cinnamon growing households.
According to Mr. Tran Van Man – Vice Chairman of the District People’s Committee: “Up to now, the District People’s Committee has completed the support for people and used 100% of the assigned capital in 2019. Based on the results of the inspection, the percentage of trees alive is from 90-95%, even 100% in some households. Currently, the policy of the district is to increase the proportion of trees per unit area in many places, reaching a density of 2,500-3,000 trees/ha. “
To preserve and develop Tra My cinnamon trees, the functional sectors of the district have guided households in the management, care, and collection of seeds under the right process. In 2019, the whole district collected 313 kg of seeds, of which, 180 kg were sent to the district medicinal garden, 63 kg were for cinnamon seed producers in the district, and 70 kg were supplied to other districts.
Mr. Man added: “In 2020, the district is expected to grow focused 80 ha/88,000 trees/200 households/10 communes, scattered 80ha/80,000 trees/200 households/10 communes, support the intercropping for 80ha/10,120 trees/200 households/10 communes, and support the care of 30 dominant trees in Tra Dua commune. Up to now, 378.5 kg of cinnamon seeds has been collected. The harvest will continue until the end of the season to ensure a sufficient supply in 2020 in the district.“
For locals, the cinnamon tree is a symbol of the spirit, culture, and tradition of the ethnic minority communities living in Nam Tra My district. A bumper crop and good prices are the motivation for the investment in the development of cinnamon in the coming time.