The green pepper gardens as far as the eye can see, the pepper warehouses filled with pungent aroma, the rich, confident young owners and countless stories about pepper prices rising day by day… are the things I feel most clearly. when arriving in Chu Se district, Gia Lai province.
“Pepper Baby”
Table of Contents
The rainy season of the Central Highlands this year came late, in the early days of July, the sun was still bright, the sky was high and blue. Following Mr. Hoang Phuoc Binh – Vice Chairman of Chu Se Pepper Association to Ia Blang commune (Chu Se district) – the first commune to grow commodity pepper trees – I had the opportunity to witness and hear many stories about The plant has helped “change the life” of the people here.
Having been a vice president for more than 20 years, then chairman of Ia Blang commune, in the story, Mr. Binh could not hide his sadness when he told about his early days of working here: “At that time (in 1977), this place was still there. desolate, sad, sick and hungry…, in 1986, me and a few other brothers invited each other to the land of Loc Ninh (Binh Phuoc) to learn from experience and bring the first pepper plants to try. It was a big surprise when the pepper tree quickly “rooted green” and the first harvest gave a high yield… The joy is multiplied when the output for the product is favorable. “Overcome with victory”, we invited each other to find reclaimed land and replicate pepper gardens. As of now…”.
The sprawling pepper gardens, some of which have up to several thousand pillars, partly prove Mr. Binh’s words. Pepper plants have really found their right land when in this land, pepper plants have the highest yield in the country, more than other pepper growing areas such as Vinh Linh (Quang Tri), Loc Ninh (Binh Phuoc), Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Chau Duc (Ba Ria – Vung Tau). As for the quality, the characteristic aroma and spicy concentration, the physico-chemical criteria are all good… have helped Chu Se pepper conquer even demanding markets such as Europe and the US; bringing the number of countries where Chu Se pepper is present up to 79 countries, ignoring countries with long-standing pepper cultivation such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia…
Recognizing the great role of pepper in Chu Se, right from 2004, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Trade approved to include Chu Se pepper in the National Key Trade Promotion Program. After 4 years of implementation, on December 28, 2007, the brand name “Chu Se pepper” was officially announced – becoming the first pepper brand in Vietnam, contributing to bringing Vietnamese consumer goods to the market. Nam to a new position.
On August 27, 2009, Chu Se district was split into two districts, Chu Se and Chu Puh. Accordingly, the government and people of ethnic groups in the two districts agree that they will take responsibility for the community, take care of and develop together in a sustainable way so that Chu Se Pepper becomes a strong brand.
With over 4,000 hectares (accounting for 6% of the country’s area), but with an output of 15,000 to 20,000 tons/year (accounting for 17%) of the country’s pepper output, Chu Se pepper has contributed significantly to bringing Vietnam to the world. Nam became the world leader in pepper exports. And also from the pepper tree, not only Kinh people, but also Jrai and Bahnar ethnic groups in Chu Se and Chu Puh escaped poverty, many households “changed their lives”, becoming billionaires… The face of Chu Se’s village Chu Puh also from here is more spacious and richer.
Become a big boss thanks to pepper
My wish to visit a few billionaires – who earn billions of dollars a year from growing pepper – was immediately met by Mr. Binh, because according to him, with 10,000 households directly producing pepper, the number of people with income Enter like that up to several tens. Then, as he passed me by a motorbike whirring through the smooth cement-smooth inter-commune road, Mr. Binh chatted loudly: The journalist counted, like Mr. Nguyen Van Kha’s house, Hoa An village, Nhon Hoa town. , Chu Puh district, has a stable pepper production of 40 tons/year, multiplied by the current pepper price of 80,000 VND/kg… the income is of course in billions. As for the family of Mr. Le Phuoc Tuan, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoanh, the annual output is approximately 20 tons… not to mention they also grow more coffee, star fruit… Driving a car to visit the pepper garden is no longer a pleasure. rare here.
Efforts to bring Chu Se Pepper to the world.
And I went from surprise to surprise when I stepped into the spacious and luxurious houses of the owners whose properties and careers were all started with pepper. Mr. Nguyen Van Luyen (village 6, Ia Blang commune) is an example. Started growing pepper in 1991 with the first 200 pepper posts, so far, Mr. Luyen has over 10,000 pepper posts, in a year with favorable weather, the output can reach over 50 tons. In severe weather like 2009, the pepper output of Mr. Luyen’s house also reached 37 tons. Building a house, buying a car, sending their children to school… Mr. Luyen and his wife emerged as a typical example of overcoming difficulties and rising up.
Started growing pepper later than Mr. Luyen’s house, but so far Mr. Tran Van Hung, village 6, Ia Blang commune also has 6,000 pepper posts. At a young age, he has 4 children, but thanks to pepper, Hung has also built a big house, with a large plastic drying yard. This year, Mr. Hung’s family collected 18 tons. “I still have it, haven’t sold a ton yet, waiting to see if the price will increase” – just opened the door of the unspent warehouse with high-quality consumables, pungent smell, etc.
Talking about pinning goods to wait for price, Mr. Binh said: “The current price of pepper raw materials has reached over 70,000 VND/kg, but due to its good quality and high weight, the reality is that people in Chu Se, Chu Puh has been sold with a home weight price of over 80,000 VND/kg – 30,000 VND higher than when it was just harvested. There are many reasons to push up pepper prices, but the main reason is due to severe weather, many pepper areas reduce output by 35%…”
Revolving around the pepper price is a bad story. Many pepper growers do not have large capital, when harvesting pepper, they sell it immediately to pay the cost of labor, manure, seeds, etc., now the price of pepper has nearly doubled, the intestines are like rubbing salt. But the “stubborn” did not sell when the pepper price was 70,000 VND/kg, eventually the price dropped, and he had to sell it for 40,000 VND/kg like in the case of Mr. Hung, the pepper crop in 2008 was not a rare thing… Is it possible, just Some big bosses, with a bit of experience in predicting the market, are still at the top, watching the full pepper warehouse, listening to the price increase day by day and “opening the flag in the stomach”.
Efforts for the “unique pepper brand in Vietnam”
Like a “shuttle”, in the morning in one commune, in the afternoon in another commune, Mr. Hoang Phuoc Binh is likened to the leader of the Chu Se pepper region. The Chu Se Pepper Association was officially established in September 2008, but Mr. Binh has been working with his relatives growing pepper and pepper trees since the first days when the commodity pepper tree took root in Chu Se land. Mr. Binh shared: “Nearly 50% of pepper growers are ethnic people. From being self-sufficient, now switching to intensive farming, growing commodity crops is a problem.” You can’t say no, but you have to hold hands to just work, sometimes just hold hands to show that relatives have not heard, there must be reality to prove… Even the output of pepper is favorable, many people get rich from spending. causing many people to be in a hurry, multiplying the area, while not mastering the knowledge about planting and caring for pepper. Not to mention in recent years, the weather has become more and more severe, the “quick death” and “slow death” disease of pepper is still considered an “incurable” disease, many people just shed tears because of a little lack of understanding. watching pepper fall sick and then die, while the cost of a new pepper plant at this time is up to 200,000 VND…
This fact has prompted the Board of Directors of the Chu Se Pepper Association to be more determined in building, managing and developing the Chu Se Pepper brand together with nearly 1,500 members, performing well the “linking of 4 houses” , invest in technology transfer in production, processing and consumption of products, so that pepper plants not only give high yield and good quality, but growers also avoid risks and have the highest income.
The seminars attracted a large number of participants, phone numbers 0593.768687/768688/768689 – specializing in pepper price announcements, weather conditions, advice on how to care for pepper… of the Chu Se Pepper Association. often “expensive”, has partly demonstrated the dynamism and effectiveness of the association. And as Mr. Binh said, there are still many things that the association is coordinating with businesses and scientists to carry out… to make Chu Se Pepper Brand – the unique brand of Vietnamese pepper at the time. current point – will be more known in the world market. Or as Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tien – Director of Gia Lai Department of Science and Technology determined: “Building the Chu Se pepper brand has only a starting point but no ending point”…
Looking at Mr. Binh’s leisurely steps among the pepper gardens, listening to him passionately guide and explain to relatives; meeting with pepper growers, including those who decided to “leave the city to the forest” – moved completely from Hai Phong to Chu Se to grow pepper like Mr. Dong Quoc Bao … to see that pepper farming is really attractive and will Will definitely grow more in the future.
According to the Industry and Trade Newspaper
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