Green squash price drops to 3,000 VND/kg, squash growers in Thanh Chuong worry about losing capital

These days, farmers in Thanh Hoa commune are harvesting the crop of squash. The rows of squash arranged along both sides of the fields look quite beautiful, but people are not very happy because the price of squash has dropped sharply. Traders buy large squash with beautiful green skin at the field for 3,000 VND/kg.

In the second year, farmers in Thanh Hoa commune have implemented a model of growing green squash. Photo: Huy Thu

Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, residing in Thuan Hoa hamlet, was picking squash in the middle of the field and shared: This squash crop cost her family 7.5 million VND, including money for buying weeds, nets, plastic, seeds, fertilizer, etc. To have water to irrigate the squash, her family also had to dig a ditch to bring water, which cost 2.4 million VND.

In the first crop of pumpkins, her family harvested 673 kg, selling them for 3,000 VND/kg for more than 2 million VND. Big, long pumpkins that were stung by bees or were crooked were all discarded. According to Ms. Giang, her pumpkin field can be harvested 3 times, but the 3rd crop will definitely yield fewer fruits than the first 2 crops. "With such a cheap price, if we sell 3 crops of pumpkins, my family will likely lose money," Ms. Giang said.

Also in a bad mood like Ms. Giang, Mr. Nguyen Ba Hai, a resident in the same neighborhood, said: "My family grows 3.3 sao of squash, the cost of leaving it in the middle of the field is 10.3 million VND, not including the cost of buying a pump and water pipes, which is 3.6 million VND, 114 bamboo poles and many tons of manure that the family has."

Farmers transport pumpkins by buffalo cart. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Hai shared that for the past 3 months, he and his wife have been “struggling” in the middle of the field to take care of the squash. The hardest part is watering. On hot days, if they water in the morning, they have to water until 11-12 noon before stopping, and if they water in the afternoon, they can work until 1-2 am.

In the first crop of pumpkins, his family harvested nearly 3 tons and sold them for 3,000 VND/kg, earning more than 8,400,000 VND. According to Mr. Hai, his pumpkins are the most beautiful and productive in the neighborhood, but with the above selling price, it is not profitable.

"If pumpkins are sold at 5,000 - 6,000 VND/kg, farmers will be able to save some money, but if they are sold at 3,000 VND, their income will not be much, while the effort is very great" - Mr. Hai shared.

The price of pumpkin bought by traders at the field is 3,000 VND/kg. Photo: Huy Thu

Currently, Thanh Hoa commune has 2 pumpkin growing hamlets, Thuan Hoa and Dong Hoa, with an area of ​​nearly 5 hectares, including many crops (early, medium, late...). This is the second year and the third crop, people here have implemented the green pumpkin field model. Nova pumpkin variety has high yield (1.7 - 2.7 tons/sao), beautiful fruit shape.

After the success of the pilot pumpkin crop sold at 9,000 - 12,000 VND/kg, generating hundreds of millions of VND/ha, local people have gradually become familiar with the model of growing pumpkin on rice fields.

However, the price of both squash crops this year has dropped sharply, from 4,000 VND/kg in the previous crop to 3,500 VND and now 3,000 VND/kg, even grade 2 squash is only 2,500 VND/kg. According to our records, in the past, Thanh Chuong district had some communes growing squash, but this crop of squash is only harvested by farmers in Thanh Hoa commune. That proves that the local source of squash is not abundant.

Nova squash variety produces beautiful fruit, has a good harvest but is not priced well. Photo: Huy Thu

Currently, the price of pumpkins in the rural markets in Thanh Chuong is fluctuating between 7,000 - 8,000 VND/kg, while the wholesale price of pumpkins in the fields in Thanh Hoa commune is 3,000 VND/kg. Despite the difference, people still have to reluctantly pick pumpkins and sell them to traders at a "bitter" price, because they cannot transport the pumpkins to the market, and if they are left in the fields, they are afraid of spoiling.

Mr. Nguyen Ba Hai admitted that farmers here are too dependent on traders to buy goods, "they have to pay whatever they pay" but have not found or connected with many sources of goods, organized many different sales channels such as selling online, selling at markets, working hard in the fields, but do not know how to find outlets... The reason why pumpkins are cheap here is because pumpkins are sold in the fields, farmers have not proactively sought customers far away, in other markets, while traders said that the northern provinces and cities have difficulty selling during this time.

Farmers in Thanh Hoa commune sadly wait to sell pumpkins at low prices to traders. Photo: Huy Thu

Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh - President of Thanh Hoa Commune Farmers' Association shared: After a process of propaganda and mobilization, people have boldly changed the crop structure, implementing the green squash growing model. The price of squash depends a lot on the market, last year it was quite high, but this year it has dropped sharply.

Although we timed the planting and harvesting before the 15th of July to get a good price for the squash, the price was still low. We tried to find out and connect with traders, but it was still difficult to sell the squash at a higher price. Although the price was low, compared to some other crops, growing squash was still better. We still encouraged people to continue growing squash, promising a new squash crop with a suitable price./.