High-tech melon farming bears fruit in Tan Thanh

Leaving behind a well-paid engineering job at a foreign company, Nguyen Viet Lam returned to his hometown of Tan Thanh Commune to pursue his dream of building a successful agricultural business. Nearly a decade later, his high-tech melon farm has become a model of agricultural innovation, generating billions of Vietnamese dong in annual revenue while creating stable jobs for local people.

Nguyen Viet Lam’s greenhouse model, featuring melons and various vegetables, has generated high economic returns.

After experimenting with several crops, Lam chose greenhouse-grown melons as his flagship product in 2016. Today, the farm produces three harvests each year, yielding nearly 30 tonnes of melons per crop. Retail prices range from VND 55,000 to VND 60,000 per kilogram. In addition to his main farm in Khuan Phay Village, Lam has established production partnerships with two other farms in Phu Tho and Hung Yen provinces to ensure a stable supply for the market.

To improve both productivity and fruit quality, the entire cultivation process is supported by modern greenhouse technology, including automated irrigation, climate and humidity control, and integrated pest management. The farm's melons are now supplied to supermarkets and premium food retail chains in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Phu Tho and several other localities.

Lam’s company, Son Duong Green Farm Co., Ltd., has expanded its production area to more than three hectares, growing not only melons but also cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers and other high-value crops under greenhouse conditions. The business generates annual revenue of between VND 2.5 billion and VND 2.7 billion while providing stable employment for seven local workers, each earning between VND 6 million and VND 8 million per month.

According to local authorities, Lam's farm is a leading example of applying advanced technology to agricultural production, contributing to crop restructuring and rural economic development. In 2022, his four-star OCOP-certified melon product earned him the prestigious Luong Dinh Cua Award, presented by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to outstanding young farmers nationwide.

Looking ahead, Lam plans to further expand greenhouse cultivation and strengthen partnerships with local farmers to build a sustainable production chain. His model is expected to enhance the value of agricultural products while creating more opportunities for farmers to increase their incomes through high-tech agriculture.

Huy Hoang