Lemon prices triple, Nghe An farmers still unhappy

This year, due to a poor lemon crop, each lemon tree of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa's family only produces about 80-100 kg of fruit. Photo: Thanh Phuc

With a large garden area, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa in Hamlet 2, Hung Yen Bac Commune (Hung Nguyen) grows more than 300 lemon trees. In 20 years of growing lemons, some years have been successful, some have been unsuccessful, but Mrs. Hoa has never seen the main lemon crop yield so low as this year.

Ms. Hoa said: “This year, the lemon crop has been very bad. Like my family, we just replanted the lemon trees a few years ago, and they are still thriving, but each tree only yields about 100 kg, much lower than last year.”

The lemons are also smaller and not as juicy as in years of good harvest. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Planting more than 100 lemon trees, if last year, Mr. Hoang Duc Khanh's family in Hamlet 2, Hung Yen Bac Commune (Hung Nguyen) harvested nearly 1.5 tons of fruit, this year, after harvesting all, they only got about 700-800 kg. "Partly due to unfavorable weather, heavy rain and unseasonal rain, the rate of flowering and fruiting is low. When lemon trees need to store water to make the fruit plump, they encounter heat and drought, so the yield is much lower," said Mr. Khanh.

The lemon crop failure not only occurred in Hung Yen Bac commune but also in communes such as Hung Yen Nam, Hung Trung (Hung Nguyen); Nghi Cong Nam, Nghi Cong Bac, Nghi My... (Nghi Loc), Nam Kim, Khanh Son, Thuong Tan Loc (Nam Dan)... in the same situation.

Ms. Tran Thi Ly, a lemon grower in Hamlet 2, Nghi Cong Nam Commune (Nghi Loc) said: “My family grows nearly 400 lemon trees. Every year, the lemons are very heavy, and this main lemon season alone, we have to harvest 6-7 tons of fruit. During the harvest season, we have to hire 3-5 workers to pick the lemons. However, this year, the lemon crop failed, the fruit ratio is only half of that of previous years, so the family has to harvest it themselves to save costs.”

Many lemon gardens have had their trees die due to stem borers and gummosis, which accounts for 30% of the total, so lemon production has decreased accordingly. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Not only is the lemon crop failing, but now many lemon hills in the communes of Hung Yen Nam and Hung Yen Bac have degenerated and many trees have died.

Mr. Hoang Duc Chuyen - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Hung Yen Bac commune said: "The whole commune has nearly 200 hectares of hilly land growing lemons. This is the main crop that brings the main source of income for local people. However, in recent years, lemon trees have degenerated quite a lot, about 30% of the lemon area has died due to stem borers, gummosis disease and the rest due to soil and seed degeneration. Therefore, the local lemon productivity and output have also decreased sharply."

The current purchase price of lemons by traders ranges from 12,000 - 15,000 VND/kg, 3 times higher than in 2021 and higher than in previous years. Photo: Thanh Phuc

The lemon crop failed, while the price of lemons was quite high, 3 times higher than last year. Currently, imported lemons from the garden cost from 13,000-15,000 VND/kg, while in the 2021 lemon crop, the price only fluctuated from 3,000-5,000 VND/kg, making it difficult to sell.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ai, a lemon buyer in Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc said: "If every year, people bring dozens of tons of lemons to import in one day, this year, the quantity has decreased to only about half. To have enough goods to supply the market in the northern provinces, in addition to purchasing on the spot, we also have to go to the growing areas to collect and call lemon growers to place orders."

The Farmers' Association of Hung Yen Bac commune encourages and motivates its members to take care of and restore native lemon trees and introduce four-season lemon trees for experimental planting. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Although lemon prices are high and easy to sell, lemon growers are not happy because of the bad harvest and many lemon areas have died. Currently, many localities with a tradition of growing lemons are encouraging people to replant dead lemon areas; at the same time, they are piloting the four-season lemon and seedless lemon varieties for widespread replication.