Strawberries are one of the major agricultural crops which have been cultivated for years by the locals in the city of Da Lat in Lam Dong Province. Thanks to the application of scientific and technological advances, strawberry farms in this province not only bring high-yield crops, meeting the increasing demand of customers, but also have become a “must-see” destination for visitors.
Photo by Vietnam typical Tours team |
These plants are now cultivated using two methods – traditional and aquatic. For the first method, strawberries are grown in rows in the ground and tended according to standards of quality and hygiene safety. With this cultivation, strawberries grow naturally and give high quality fruit. However, it takes much time from planting to harvesting.
According to Tran Anh Son, owner of Khanh Ngoc Strawberry Farm in Ward 7, it takes the plants about 4-5 months to give fruit. During that time, the farmers must strictly adhere to regulations on fertilising and using pesticides so the strawberries meet the standards of nutrition, colour and distinctive taste that is much better than those planted in other localities. The 1ha strawberry farm owned by Son mainly cultivates varieties from Japan, France and the US. After five months of tending, the strawberry plants start giving fruit. With prices of 80,000-120,000 VND for each kilo, depending on each type of strawberry, his family earns a profit of 200 million dong/year.
Now many farmers in Da Lat have shifted from their traditional method a new model of hanging strawberry gardens with high-technology agricultural techniques. Strawberries are grown in pots hanging from trellises, 1m high above the ground, in green houses. This method needs more initial capital as well as the farmers’ attention to tending, however, the time from planting to harvesting is shorter and the fruit is better than the traditional, so the price is 4-5 times higher. Some farms, namely the Biofresh Strawberry Farm in Ward 10, Hiep Luc Strawberry Farm in Ward 8 and Nguyen Thanh Trung Strawberry in Ward 9, have successfully applied this method to growing strawberries.
The strawberry farms have not brought high economic value but have now become a not-to miss destination for many tourists to Da Lat. Seeing the great potential brought by this model, many farmers offer unique entertainment farming and agri-tourism to visitors. Coming to strawberry farms, tourists will learn about the farming experience, pick fruit, pose for photos in beds of strawberries and buy fresh and delicious fruit.
At present, Lam Dong Province in general and Da Lat in particular have plans to help farmers multiply the promising agro-tourism model which will not only bring economic benefits to growers but also contribute to tourism development.