Cam Nghia Dan sells for 3000 VND but no one buys

(Baonghean.vn)- This year, orange growers in Nghia Dan (Nghe An) are struggling because of the epidemic. Many orange gardens can only sell for 2,000 - 3,000 VND/kg but there are no buyers.

» Cam Nghia Dan price dropped dramatically by 10,000 VND/kg

Many orange farmers are struggling and want to cut down the orange acreage they have grown for decades.

Nghia Hieu Commune has over 200 households growing oranges from 2 sao to 3 ha. In 2017, households growing oranges lost more than they made. Out of over 200 orange growers, only 15-20 households sold oranges for 25,000 VND/kg, the rest only sold for 3,000 VND/kg, or even less than 3,000 VND/kg. In previous years, 1 ha earned 300-500 million VND, now 1 ha only earns a few tens of millions VND.

Droopy oranges, no buyers. Photo: Tran Chau.

Talking to our reporter, Mr. Le Xuan Trang, Secretary of Tan Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune, said: “Not only my family, the entire orange area in Tan Thanh hamlet of 25-30 hectares, some newly planted areas and commercial orange areas are affected by two types of diseases: yellow leaf rot and green vein yellowing caused by planthoppers. Currently, the entire orange garden of the whole hamlet, not necessarily my family, has turned into yellow oranges. Not knowing whether it is a “golden tree” or a “yellow orange”, is very anxious, the economic situation is very difficult for the people”.

Oranges are stunted and no one buys them. Photo: Minh Thai

Like Mr. Trang's family, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen's family, Tan Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune, has also grown oranges for over 10 years with 200 trees. In previous years, orange trees brought high income. However, this year, due to severe orange disease, her family also invested in medicine and consulted with the technique, but could only save over a hundred orange trees, selling for 15-17 thousand/kg. The remaining 90 orange trees infected with yellow leaf root rot and yellow leaf green vein disease were all cut down and planned to plant sugarcane instead.

Nghia Hieu is a commune that mainly grows oranges, however, with the current situation of orange crop failure like this year, farmers are extremely worried. Currently, in the commune this year, 30% of households growing oranges effectively, 70% are ineffective. After this year's failure, people have many directions to switch to growing sugarcane, corn, grapefruit, etc. The local government recommends that people investing in orange growing must ensure the correct process, improve the soil, dig up the roots, plant short-term trees, and plant oranges after 3 years, then the disease will decrease, the seedling process must be clean, ensuring science"

Nghia Hieu is one of the largest orange growing communes in Nghia Dan district and has also built the brand name “Vinh orange”. The joy has just begun when farmers are facing many difficulties in the quality and price of oranges. People are hoping that scientists will quickly intervene to help them.

Orange yellowing disease is the main cause of low quality oranges. Photo: Minh Thai

Hoang Hang - Minh Thai

(Dai Nghia Dan)