The garlic-growing season lasts from July to January, so residents in the Quang Ngai Province island district are now planting corn and onions. But, in the minds of locals, planting other crops is just a sideline. Garlic is the business of Ly Son.

"No one wants to plant these crops," says Phan Quang Vinh, owner of 20 sao of land (one sao equals 360sq.m) on which he grows garlic, reaping about VND100 million (US$6,200) annually in An Vinh Village.

He tells the story of a typhoon that struck last year, destroying only onion crops.

"If it had came later, our garlic farm would have been severely damaged and residents of the island would have suffered a great loss," he said.

Local officials, however, are concerned about just that. Too many eggs in one basket, so they are now actively promoting diversification of the local economy to include not only greater varieties of agricultural produce but tourism as well.

"Residents of the island underestimate the role of corn and onions," said area resident Dang Duc Tri. "They don’t put much effort in planting these crops. But planting onion and corn actually helps increase the humidity and fertility of the soil. Garlic brings high incomes, but bad harvests are fairly regular, and onions can be planted year round."

Ly Son District People’s Committee chairman Vo Van Huyen agrees, saying that, in recent years, onions have played an increasingly important role in the island’s economy. Although they fetch lower prices, they’re easier to grow and can be harvested quickly, bailing out residents in case of a bad garlic harvest.

On the scent of tourists

District leaders are also looking at ways to develop tourism on the island. According to Huyen, a tour to Sa Ky and Ly Son districts has just been set up by the district authorities. Residents in the district are being encouraged to set up small businesses that provide basic tourist services like restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops.

Besides the island’s status as the nation’s garlic capital, the local authorities are promoting other possible tourist attractions, including Hang Pagoda and Duc Pagoda which stand along the edge of the sea.

At this point, however, only modest investment has been made in developing the tourism potential of these places. For now, the future of the island still smells like garlic.