Man who started durian growing in Khanh Vinh

Being a war veteran and suffering labor capacity loss of 61%, Nguyen Hong Son (in Song Cau Commune, Khanh Vinh District, Khanh Hoa Province) has overcome difficulties to make rich.

 

Welcoming us in a 3-hectare fruit garden in Song Cau Commune, veteran Nguyen Hong Son, born in 1960, told us about his story jocularly. After the war, Son returned home in Dien An, but then went to Song Cau Commune to start up. 

 

At that time, Song Cau Commune was very desolate with few roads and few families growing corn, manioc and rice. Like them, Son started growing corn and rice. Then, he bought more land and had about 11 hectares of land for cultivation. In 1990, realizing sugarcane growing was developing, he changed into growing sugarcane. However, in 1994, sugarcane price fell deeply, he lost and had to sell 8 hectares of land to pay debts. He changed to raise fish. Unfortunately, the flood in June, 1996 swept his last possession away.

 

Ten years later, he saved small amount of money, he started growing 200 durian trees and 250 sweet mango trees on 3 hectares of the rest land. However, right at the first crop, durians fell and trees got ill. To save the durian trees, Son went to Khanh Son to learn from sucessful durian growers. 

 

 

 

After his durian garden had got success, people in Khanh Vinh District followed him and grew durians. Then, the district has become the second place of durians in the province after Khanh Son.

 

Phan Van Thuan, chairman of Song Cau Commune Farmers’ Association, commented, “Veteran Nguyen Hong Son has made much contribution in agriculture of Song Cau Commune. He was the pioneer in growing new kinds of plants, especially durian ones. It helped many other farmers to make rich from farming.

 

Besides this, Son is active in sharing experiences with others, helping others, and even lending them capital. At present, he has a staff to work seasonally and stably. “Son behaves us very well. Beside salary and aid for breakfast, he helps us to have medical examination when sick and helps our children to go to school”, said Cao Thi My Le, one of his workers.

 

With his contributions, Son has been granted certificated of merit by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affair. He also represented Khanh Hoa to attend the national conference to raise typical people deserving well of the revolution.

 

Bich Thuy

 

Translated by T.T