Lý Sơn to develop organic garlic farm

A garlic farm in Lý Sơn Island district in Quảng Ngãi Province. The island plans to build the first organic garlic farm. —VNS Photo Chu Mạnh Trinh

QUẢNG NGÃI — The Island district of Lý Sơn in the central province will start constructing its first organic garlic farm, with a total investment of VNĐ 四 billion (US$ 一 七 七,000).

The director of the Lý Sơn Island Company, Nguyễn Văn Định, told Việt Nam News that the farm will be built on  二, 五00sq.m with updated high-tech farming equipment.

He said the farm will provide  七00kg tall shoots of garlic each day after a two-month growth period. It will also employ  五0 local residents with stable income.

Định said the farm will provide technical consultancy for local farmers in the district to develop organic garlic farms with high productivity and price.

He said the farm can increase its garlic area by growing on ready-made soil on high-rise buildings.

It’s also the first investment in high-tech farm project in the island, which is  三0km off the coast of the central province.

The farm plans to offer a tour for VNĐ 二0,000 (nearly $ 一) per visitor.

Black garlic from Lý Sơn Island in Quảng Ngãi Province. — VNS Photo Nguyễn Văn ĐịnhLast year, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Việt Nam, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, recognised the brand ownership for the products of Lý Sơn Island including garlic, onion, seafood, garlic wine, dried seafood and seaweed.

It’s also the first made-in-Lý Sơn seafood and aquaculture products to have their own brand nationwide.

In  二0 一 五,  四0 tonnes of Lý Sơn garlic were exported to Thailand.

The company, in co-operation with the island district and the island’s farmers association, plans to produce organic black garlic for export to Japan, the US and Asian countries, and produce garlic oil.

Lý Sơn garlic has a distinctive flavour and is in high demand at home and abroad. However, this year only  二 五0ha of garlic and onion were planted due to serious drought on the island.

The island, known as the Kingdom of Garlic in Việt Nam, has  二 一,000 inhabitants, of whom  七 三 per cent makes their living from farming garlic and spring onion or fishing. — VNS