Farmers tend to their chili field in Tan Nghia commune, Cao Lanh district
of Dong Thap province. (Photo: VNA)
The demand for vegetables and fruits is high during Vietnam’s largest festival,
which lasts from on February 2-10 this year.
In Ca Mau province, farmers began planting bitter melon, spring onion,
watermelon, and tomato and other vegetables early this month.
Farmers in Ly Van Lam commune, a watermelon growing area in Ca Mau city, are
planting 21ha of the fruit under Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP)
standards.
Le Nhu, who has 2.5ha in Ly Van Lam, said: “Planting watermelon based on VietGAP
standards has high economic efficiency as it saves fertiliser and pesticide
costs.”
If the weather is favourable, farmers could earn 20 million VND (860 USD) per
1,000sq.m, he said.
They can harvest around three tonnes of the fruit two months after planting. The
local People’s Committee has instructed the Ly Van Lam Agriculture Cooperative
to ensure its members conform to watermelon growing schedules, the varieties
they should grow and the size at which to harvest to meet market demand.
But recent rains in the commune have affected the growing schedule and created
conditions for infestation by vegetable pests, giving farmers cause for worry
about poor harvest.
Nguyen Thi Kieu Khuyen, deputy head of the Agriculture Extension Centre’s
Agriculture Extension Division, said farmers should use various kinds of
fertilisers in a balanced manner when growing watermelons rather than using too
much nitrate fertilizers if they want to lessen disease outbreaks.
In Dong Thap province, many farmers are planting clean vegetables, including in
net houses, to supply for Tet.
Nguyen Van Tao in Long Thuan commune in Hong Ngu district has for the first time
begun to grow Chinese mustard greens in a net house. The price of Chinese
mustard greens is usually high before Tet as people buy them to make pickled
vegetables for eating during the festival, he said.
He has planted 1,500sq.m of the greens, and hopes to earn 15 million VND (640
USD) per 1,000sq.m and supply clean vegetables to the market, he said.
Long Thuan commune, one of Dong Thap’s major vegetable growing areas, has 282ha
under various vegetables, including 160ha of clean vegetables, according to its
People’s Committee.
The commune supplies around 10 tonnes of various types of vegetables daily, but
this is expected to triple just before Tet.
Nguyen Huu Hanh, chairman of the commune People’s Committee, said the area under
clean vegetables has increased since the previous Tet.
The commune has instructed farmers to grow vegetables that are in high demand
during Tet such as Chinese mustard greens, cauliflower and edible chrysanthemum.
In Long An province, famers in major vegetable growing areas like Can Duoc and
Can Giuoc districts are planting more spring onion, peppermint, water spinach
and other vegetables.
Nguyen Van Nam, member of the Phuoc Hiep Clean Vegetable Cooperative in Can
Giuoc’s Phuoc Hau commune, said: “Farmers focus on growing vegetables to supply
during Tet since they fetch high prices during the festival besides contracting
few diseases and result in higher yields at this time of the year.”
From his 2,000sq.m field, he has been earning more than 30 million VND (1,290
USD) by growing vegetables for Tet.
Can Duoc authorities have encouraged farmers and agricultural co-operatives to
apply VietGAP standards in growing vegetables, according to the district’s
Agriculture and Rural Development Division.
Source: VNA