Binh Phuoc (VNA) - Farmersin Binh Phuoc province have begun to harvest their cashew crop and yields arehigher than last year because of favourable weather and the efforts ofauthorities and farmers to prevent diseases.   

Last year, many cashew farms inthe southeastern province, the country’s largest cashew producer, were affectedby diseases and had low yields, but authorities and farmers have taken measuresto tend disease-affected orchards this year, enabling them to recover and bearmore fruits.

This year, the rate of flowersdeveloping into fruits is in fact high at more than 50 percent in mostorchards, according to farmers.

Dieu Thanh, a farmer in Bu GiaMap district’s Dak O commune, said the weather this year is much better forcashew trees to fruit than last year.

Last year, inclement weathercaused disease outbreaks, making his yield to decline, and his family had tospend dozens of millions of dong onfertiliser and labour to revive the orchard this year, he said.

Most cashew trees floweringthis year have a high fruiting rate and harvest has begun, he said.

Dieu Hung, who has a 4ha casheworchard in Bu Gia Map district’s Phu Van commune, said the harvest season thisyear came a few days after Tet (LunarNew Year) making it convenient for farmers to clean their orchard and do theharvest. 

At the beginning of theblossoming season, the province's Agriculture Service Centre organised farmingcourses for hundreds of cashew farmers.

They were taught techniques tomake the trees flower at the same time and how to treat some commondiseases.

In the province, Ba Gia Map, BuDang and Bu Dopp districts have the largest cashew growing areas.

Nguyen Van Bac, acting directorof the Bu Dop District Agriculture Service Centre, said the centre instructsfarmers to regularly monitor their cashew farms to promptly discover diseasesand pests and control them.

The most common disease isanthracnose, a fungal infection that damages flowers and fruits. Mosquito bugsand the striped mealybug are major pests.

Farmers are having a goodharvest, but the price of cashew is currently low.

Traders are buying the nuts onfarms at around 28,000 VND (1.2 USD) a kilogramme, down 10,000-12,000 VND froma year ago, farmers said.

The province has more than130,000ha under cashew, according to its Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment.

It is among the crops that havehelped farmers escape poverty in recent years.

The province’s cashew nut hasbeen granted geographical indication certification./.