Black star apple trees help many households in Ha Tinh escape poverty

Huong Son District, Ha Tinh Province (old) is one of the "capitals" of black canarium trees, with areas concentrated in Kim Hoa Commune, Son Giang Commune, Huong Son Commune, Tu My Commune... Here, canarium trees have not only been closely associated with people's lives for a long time but now also bring clear economic efficiency.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chinh’s family (Huong Son commune) currently has 8 ancient black canarium trees. Each year, each tree produces an average of nearly 100 kilograms of fruit, bringing in a total income of about 35 million VND. “In the past, people planted canarium mainly for wood, but now canarium fruit has become a specialty. The trees provide shade and bring in money, without requiring much investment or care,” Mr. Chinh shared.

For Mr. Chinh and many other households, the annual harvest of canarium is an important “harvest season”, helping them earn extra money to cover living expenses and their children’s education. Many families who were previously poor now have enough to eat and save thanks to the old canarium trees.

In Kim Hoa commune, black canarium is also widely grown, with more than 400 trees scattered in household gardens. The family of Mr. Le Van Kinh (58 years old, resident of Kim Hoa commune) earns more than 10 million VND each year from a few canarium trees. “It doesn’t take much effort to care for them, and when the season comes, people come to buy them right from the garden, so canarium trees are truly a valuable source of income for the family,” said Mr. Kinh.

The family of Mr. Tran Van Hanh (54 years old, residing in Son Giang commune) also planted two black canarium trees that are dozens of years old. This year, the canarium harvest was good, traders paid up to 14 million VND for two canarium trees without the family having to harvest them. “Compared to many other types of trees, canarium trees provide a steady income, with little risk, so they are very suitable for households in mountainous areas. Currently, traders have deposited money, the family does not need to harvest them, they come to harvest them themselves,” said Mr. Hanh.

Canarium pickers share that harvesting this fruit also has its own unique characteristics. Pickers often have to climb large trees, then use bamboo or rattan sticks about 10m long, with sickles attached to the end to cut each bunch of fruit. From above, they have to observe carefully, squeezing through the foliage to find the black canarium bunches hidden behind. Canarium fruit is diamond-shaped, when ripe it has a dark purple skin, yellow flesh, pointed seeds at both ends, and pure white kernels.

Black star apple growers also share that the older the tree is, the more fruit it produces and the more aromatic it is when processed. For many people, this is like a 'savings' because the tree not only provides shade but also has economic value while not requiring much care or effort.

Black plum is sought after by many people to buy.

Because the black canarium market is very good, many households in Huong Son district have also started to expand and plant new trees around their gardens to increase income and contribute to poverty reduction.

Currently, the price of black canarium on the market fluctuates from 90,000 - 120,000 VND/kg. With stable output, each mature canarium tree can bring in from several million to tens of millions of VND per year.

“From the trees that were once planted to create shade and get wood, this tree has now become a source of livelihood for many families. Although not the main tree, black canarium is a specialty that contributes to promoting the economic development of the locality,” said a leader of the People’s Committee of Son Giang commune, Ha Tinh province.