Quality and cultivation model of Mo O watermelon

Tran De commune leaders visited the organically grown watermelon fields of Mo O Hamlet Crop Farming Cooperative.

Melon characteristics and production at the cooperative

Thanks to suitable soil conditions, the watermelons here are highly rated by consumers for their quality: deep red, firm, pleasantly granular flesh, mild sweetness, and consistently strong selling prices.

To develop sustainable crop production, local farmers established the Mo O Hamlet Vegetable Farming Cooperative, adopting organic-oriented practices with 21 members and 18ha of cultivated land; selling prices are 20-30% higher than those of conventional melons.
Visiting the watermelon field of Mr. Trieu Van Ut Nho, a member of the Mo O Vegetable Cooperative, during harvest time, Mr. Nho shared: “I have been growing watermelons for more than 17 years. Since 2019, I switched to growing Mo O watermelons organically, with traders from Ho Chi Minh City coming to buy directly at the field.”

In this watermelon crop, Mr. Nho planted 5,000 m2 (including seeded and seedless watermelons), estimating a harvest of more than 15 tons. According to his calculations, the selling price for seeded watermelon is 10,000 VND/kg and seedless watermelon is 13,000 VND/kg; after deducting costs, he earned a profit of over 100 million VND (Mr. Ut Nho did not have off-take contracts for his produce).

Organic farming and off-take linkages

Not far from Mr. Nho's watermelon patch is that of Mr. Trieu Van Ut, also a member of Mo O Vegetable Cooperative, which was selected as a model organic watermelon farm partnered with Que Lam Group for post-harvest buyback for 7 years.

According to Mr. Ut, growing organically yields better-tasting melons, protects the health of both farmers and consumers, enriches the soil, and notably reduces production costs by 10–20% per crop. Furthermore, the melon output is guaranteed for purchase by Que Lam Group at prices 20–30% higher than the open market.

Mr. Trieu Van Ut from Mo O hamlet next to freshly harvested organically grown watermelons.

“I started with 4,500m2 of conventionally grown watermelons. When Que Lam Group provided organic fertilizer and technical guidance on growing watermelons that meet the required standards for sale in high-end stores, I expanded to 7,500m2. On this area, the estimated harvest is more than 22 tonnes per crop, with a profit of over 150 million dong after costs. With 3 crops per year, my estimated profit is more than 450 million dong,” Mr. Ut added.

Plans to maintain quality and expand partnerships

Mr. Vo Quoc Hao, Deputy Head of the Economic Office of Tran De commune, said that Mo O watermelons, especially organically grown ones, achieve a high fruiting rate, stable weight, attractive red flesh, high sweetness, and a 70% reduction in pests and diseases thanks to beneficial microorganisms. The office advises farmers to strictly maintain organic farming practices for watermelons to reduce seasonal production costs and consistently ensure the best quality when supplying the market.

According to Mr. Hao, the local authorities will continue encouraging farmers to join the cooperative to expand melon acreage and achieve consistent post-harvest fruit quality, thereby inviting companies and enterprises to establish off-take partnerships and stabilize prices for farmers.