A successful start-up built from 3 rods of cantaloupes

Agriculture has always been considered one of the traditional production and business sectors. However, with the advanced technology and innovation in management, agriculture has become an opportunity for many young people to get rich.

Thanks to proper technical care, Mai Duc Tuan's cantaloupe garden achieves high yield. Photo: Doan Hung

In recent years, high-tech cantaloupe cultivation has become a promising startup model, bringing development opportunities for many young people, including Mai Duc Tuan of 9X generation (in Long Binh 11 hamlet, Binh Tan commune, Dong Nai province).

After many years of researching information on how to grow high-quality agricultural crops suitable for his family's economic conditions, Mai Duc Tuan realized that the local soil and climate were suitable, so he decided to start a business with a high-tech cantaloupe cultivation model.

Initially, for testing, the 9X young man built a greenhouse covering over 300m2 with more than 6,000 cantaloupe seedlings. After more than 2 months of planting, thanks to good and proper technical care, the first cantaloupe crop brought in a good income. To expand the scale, in 2024, Tuan boldly borrowed 300 million VND from the former Binh Phuoc Provincial Youth Union's Startup Fund (now the Dong Nai Provincial Youth Union) and 500 million VND from his family, to invest in his 3,300m2 greenhouses for cantaloupe cultivation.

The young man shared: "Agricultural production is often heavily affected by climate, insects, and diseases when plants are directly exposed to the natural environment. Therefore, growing cantaloupe in greenhouses with high technology application helps 'isolate' the plants from disease-causing insects and enables him to cope with erratic weather changes. To achieve high efficiency in the cantaloupe garden, I apply a drip irrigation system combined with automatic fertilization, which helps reduce labor costs, and especially manage the residual fertilizer for the plants."

Tuan added: Although the initial investment capital for the high-tech cantaloupe cultivation model is relatively high, in return, the cantaloupe yields good quality fruits that are sold at good prices, so the capital recovery is fast. After nearly 3 years of production investment, his cantaloupe garden always achieves high quality, favored by consumers inside and outside the province, thereby helping his family earn 400 million VND/year. He is currently linking with 3-4 cantaloupe farming households to support product consumption.

"In the coming time, I will continue to link with cantaloupe farming households to build a separate brand. I hope the commune Youth Union will pay attention to and help me expand the production scale of cantaloupe products," Tuan said.

Dao Duy Ninh, Deputy Secretary of the Binh Tan Commune Youth Union, Dong Nai province, commented: "Youth Union member Mai Duc Tuan is one of the members who are eager to learn and research to apply science and technology in cultivation. After Tuan's cantaloupe model achieved high efficiency, some Youth Union members and young people in the area came to visit and learn from his experience. Before and after the two-tier local government started operating, the Communal Youth Union Executive Committee had many ideas for young people in the commune to access local and provincial capital sources to develop the economy and strive to get rich legitimately."

With passion and perseverance, Mai Duc Tuan has achieved very impressive results from his high-tech cantaloupe cultivation model, becoming a model for clean agricultural production in Binh Tan commune.

By: Doan Hung

Translated by Mai Nga-Thu Ha