Only 1,000 VND/kg left, mountain farmers give up on lemons

(Baonghean.vn) - Lemon prices have dropped to 1,000 VND/kg, causing mountain farmers in Bai Oi village, Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong) to shake their heads bitterly.

Lemon picking season in Bai Oi village has been going on for about 3 months now, but people are not very interested because the price of this fruit is falling miserably. Photo: Huu Vi

According to Mr. Le Van Tam - Head of Bai Oi village, the whole village currently has 100 hectares of lemon. In the village, there are 104 households, nearly 100 of which grow this tree. Each hectare has a yield of about 10 tons/year..

The lemon harvest has been taking place since May and is currently at its peak. According to estimates from lemon growers, on September 29, 2017, when we arrived at the site, over 30 tons of lemons had been harvested. Lemons in sacks were transported across the suspension bridge over the Lam River to a collection point nearly 1km away. A large number of sacks of lemons were displayed along the village roads waiting to be transported.

Lemon growers are suffering heavy losses due to the dramatic drop in lemon prices. Photo: Huu Vi

The working atmosphere was quite urgent, but lemon growers in Bai Oi village did not seem enthusiastic. Mr. Duong Dinh Nguyen, who owns 2 hectares of lemons, said sourly: "Lemon prices are falling miserably."

In recent times, the price of lemons has plummeted. At the beginning of the season, it was 5,000 VND/kg, then it dropped to 1,000 VND/kg. Photo: Huu Vi

Putting the sack of lemons down on the slope, Mr. Nguyen added that this year the lemon yield was not high. The appearance was not good due to the damage caused by stink bugs. The reason was that the price dropped so dramatically that lemon growers neglected fertilizing, weeding, and spraying pesticides.

According to Mr. Nguyen, the price fluctuations have been going on for 2 years now. "Last year, there was a time when there were no buyers, people let the lemons fall all over the garden" - Mr. Nguyen said with a bored look.

Also a lemon grower owning nearly 3 hectares, Mr. Duong Dinh Ky said: "This year, lemon yield is high but the current price is only 1,000 VND/kg. If you choose beautiful fruit, it is only 3,000 VND/kg. In 2016, the lowest price dropped to 500 VND/kg."

Lemons have been grown in Bai Oi village for about 20 years and are the main crop of nearly 100 households. In the photo: Lemons with bad appearance due to lack of investment and care. Photo: Huu Vi

In previous years, lemon prices fluctuated between 10,000 and 15,000 VND/kg. This was considered a "prosperous" period for lemon growers in Bai Oi village. "There was a day when my family sold 10 million VND worth of lemons," Mr. Ky recalled. However, since the price of lemons fell, the income from this main crop of Bai Oi villagers has also decreased sharply. "This morning I picked 1.5 tons of lemons and sold them for 1.5 million VND. After deducting labor, gasoline, and transportation costs, we only have a few hundred VND left. If we calculate all production costs, we are at a heavy loss," Mr. Ky added.

A lemon garden of Bai Oi residents is covered in weeds. Photo: Huu Vi

Meanwhile, the investment in fertilizers, hiring workers to weed and pesticides costs about 5 million VND per hectare. According to the people, the soil in Bai Oi village is very suitable for lemon trees, which do not require much care but still produce high yields. However, in the face of the current disastrous price drop, many lemon growers have begun to neglect their lemon trees. Many lemon hill gardens are covered with weeds.

"There are areas of lemon trees that have started to dry up" - said Ms. Tran Thi Thu, a lemon grower in Bai Oi village./.

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