Longan tree in the yard of Hien pagoda (Hung Yen city)

 

As the cradle of Hung Yen longan, Hung Yen city has hundreds of gardeners growing specialty longans, many of whom have been diligently preserving and restoring delicious and unique ancient longan varieties. Walking in the longan garden that is entering the harvest season of Mr. Bui Xuan Tam in Hong Nam commune, we felt like we were lost in a fairy tale garden. The decades-old longan trees are carefully cared for, preserved, and neatly pruned by his family, each bunch of fruit hanging high up. The newly harvested silk longan trees have shiny, bright, low-hanging fruits that fit the picker's hand. Every harvest season, customers rush to place orders, selling prices range from 50 to 90 thousand VND/kg. Among them, Mr. Tam is most interested in the ancient longan trees. Mr. Tam shared: "I have been collecting ancient longan varieties since the 90s and cultivating them with seeds. Later, when the tree grew strong and produced delicious quality fruit, I continued to propagate, take branches, and graft dozens of other trees. Up to now, the ancient longan garden has about 100 trees." In 2022, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will organize a selection of the best longan tree. Mr. Tam's family's ancient longan tree has been granted a Certificate of recognition for the first-generation longan tree named Bui Tam longan, the abbreviated seed source code is HYT19.

 

In 2020, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development organized "Delicious longan contest" to preserve and develop precious longan varieties of Hung Yen. At the contest, Mr. Do Duc Kha's longan from Ha Le commune (An Thi) won second prize. Cu Van is the name of an ancient longan variety that has been present in Ha Le commune for many years. Elderly people in the commune said that the oldest longan tree is nearly 100 years old. When the longan pulp is ripe, the skin is still slightly green. The longan pulp is thick, ivory white, succulent, with clear veins, small and loose seeds, and when eaten, it is both sweet, rich, and fragrant. Longan with veined pulp has high yield, large, beautiful bunches, uniform fruit size...

 

And speaking of ancient longan, it would be a mistake not to mention the ancestral longan tree of Hung Yen province located in the yard of Hien pagoda (Hong Chau ward, Hung Yen city). Located in the heart of the old Pho Hien, the old longan tree still clings firmly to the raised soil, its canopy is wide, the leaves are green and sweet fruit clusters appear every season, preserving the hundred-year-old flavor of "Longan Tien the King". ”. Most longan trees in Hung Yen today have part of their genome from the ancestral longan tree. On October 10, 1992, the longan tree was determined by the Vietnam Gardening Association to be over 300 years old. The longan tree is honored and protected for its original genetic resources for conservation and development.

 

Besides, Hung Yen province still has many delicious ancient longan varieties such as: Rock sugar longan, flat seed longan... According to the assessment of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the whole province has nearly 5 thousand hectares of longan cultivation. types, of which the area planted with ancient longan varieties accounts for more than 10%.

 

To preserve and develop genetic resources of longan and lychee, and at the same time help exploit and use the province's specialty crop resources effectively and sustainably, increasing income for farmers, December 31, 2019. 2019, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 2918/QD-UBND on approving the Project to preserve and develop longan and lychee specialty growing areas in Hung Yen province for the period 2020 - 2025, with orientation by 2030. The project's goal by 2025 is to basically ensure that the province's existing longan and lychee genetic resources are inventoried and evaluated; Built a database to trace genetic resources of longan and lychee. Build a new conservation area and maintain the current state of the longan tree; preserve the original status of longan and lychee plants of good quality and rarity in the owners' gardens; Establish an ex-situ conservation garden for the province's longan and lychee genetic resources. Focus on renovating and replacing mixed longan gardens and old trees with low productivity and quality with specialty varieties of high economic value, including expanding the growing area of ​​rock sugar longan and pulp longan varieties. ancient trees account for 15 - 20% of the province's longan area. Comrade Nguyen Thi Thu, Acting Head of the Cultivation Department (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) said: Implementing the Project, from 2021 up to now, each year the province supports over 55 hectares for households to plant new and transplant mustard greens. create specialty longan varieties. Up to now, the whole province has nearly 1 thousand hectares planted with ancient longan varieties and rock sugar, concentrated in Hung Yen city and districts: An Thi, Kim Dong, Tien Lu, Khoai Chau. This year, the project continues to preserve the original state of 45 longan trees in garden houses; Maintaining, protecting and taking care of longan and lychee specialty conservation gardens at the Provincial Agricultural Seed Center with 1.5 hectares.

 

Tasting a bunch of sweet longan from a perennial longan tree in the heart of Pho Hien, feels like feeling that fragrant sweetness coming from the Red River alluvium, from the fertile soil and the diligent hands of people who have worked for generations. a little for the tree. Delicious longan varieties that are preserved and developed not only increase the value of Hung Yen's longan growing area but also have important significance in terms of indigenous plant genetic resources, regional culinary value and cultural value. Hung Yen tourism.