Gia Lai durian farmers reinforce orchards ahead of storm season

As early-season rains become more frequent, many farmers in Gia Lai are urgently implementing measures to strengthen their durian orchards and minimize damage. This is considered a critical period, as most durian growing areas in the province are entering the fruit development stage, which directly determines yields and farmers’ incomes.

These days, Tran Ngoc Tung, a farmer in Hamlet 4 (Ia Ko commune, Gia Lai), spends nearly all of his time reinforcing more than 200 durian trees in his orchard. Taking advantage of dry weather, his family has hired additional workers to support branches, secure anchor ropes, and stabilize heavy fruits to reduce the risk of fruit drop during rainstorms.

According to Tung, this year’s durian crop has faced many challenges. Rainfall during the flowering period significantly reduced fruit-setting rates compared to previous years. As a result, the orchard is expected to produce only around 20 tons of durian, falling short of the family’s expectations.

“Now the trees are developing fruit, and the arrival of early-season rains makes us even more concerned. Without timely reinforcement, strong winds or prolonged rain could cause large-scale fruit drop. That is why we are focusing all our efforts on protecting the orchard,” he said.

In addition to supporting heavily laden branches with bamboo poles, Tung’s family also uses nylon ropes to secure large fruits, reducing pressure on branches and limiting movement during strong winds.

Tung’s family is not alone. Many durian farmers across Gia Lai province are rushing to implement preventive measures against weather-related damage during the rainy season. Durian trees are currently in the fruit-development stage, with many trees carrying high yields and fruits weighing between 3 and 4 kilograms.

However, this is also the period when durian trees are most vulnerable to adverse weather. Heavy rain combined with strong winds can easily break fruit-laden branches, resulting in substantial losses.

To reduce risks, the family of Nguyen Tan Luc, also from Hamlet 4, has proactively strengthened its orchard through various measures. For trees carrying large numbers of fruits, bamboo and wooden poles are used to support major branches. One end of each pole is firmly fixed into the ground, while the other supports the branch and is secured with ropes to improve load-bearing capacity and reduce the likelihood of breakage during storms.

Luc said that in previous years, his orchard often suffered heavy fruit losses during the rainy season, significantly affecting yields. Learning from those experiences, the family began reinforcement work early this year. Before the rainy season arrived, all 50 durian trees in the orchard had already been supported and secured to minimize weather-related impacts.

“If we do not take preventive action, a single heavy rain can cause severe fruit drop. Reinforcing the orchard before the rainy season gives us peace of mind as we continue caring for the trees and waiting for harvest,” Luc explained.

Large fruits are often tied and suspended from branches for additional support. For fruits growing close together, farmers place foam padding between them to prevent collisions and scratches, helping maintain quality and appearance.

In recent years, weather conditions have become increasingly unpredictable. Many durian orchards have suffered losses from storms that caused branch breakage and fruit drop, significantly affecting production and income.

As a result, reinforcing orchards at the beginning of the rainy season is widely regarded as an important measure to reduce potential damage. Although the work is labor-intensive and costly, farmers continue to invest time and resources to protect their durian fruit as it enters the final stage of development.

Beyond the concerns about yields, the biggest challenge for durian today is the fierce competition among markets, especially with major rivals like Thailand. Viet Nam’s current area planted with durian is increasing by 15-20% annually. One thing to note is that not only Viet Nam but almost all other Southeast Asian countries are increasing their durian growing area. Therefore, the pressure on the consumer market is growing stronger with each passing day.