Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company: Promoting the application of machinery in sugarcane planting and care

Previously, just for plowing, labor, and row rental to plant 6 sao of sugarcane, Ms. Truong Thi Oanh's family in Van Long hamlet, Giai Xuan commune (Tan Ky) had to spend 1.6 million VND to hire 6-8 workers for 1 day. But now, her family uses machines to plow, plant, and fertilize, the total cost is about 1 million VND, the machine can complete all the steps in the family's field in 2 hours.

According to Ms. Truong Thi Oanh, the benefits of mechanization in sugarcane production help speed up progress and ensure good crop growth. The plow with a planting depth of 25 - 35cm, the soil cultivation layer is thicker, creating ventilation to help sugarcane roots develop well, absorb more nutrients to nourish the plant, at the same time water penetrates deeply, reducing leaching on the soil surface during heavy rains. When sugarcane is planted by machine, the cost of planting sugarcane will be reduced by more than 1 million VND/ha compared to manual planting.

Sugarcane grown by machine in Tan Ky has a survival rate of 95%. Photo: Phuong Thao

"Sugarcane grown by machine grows quickly, with a growth rate of over 95%. The fields are airy, easy to care for, fertilize, and control pests. Moreover, planting by machine according to the correct process will create favorable conditions for applying machines in the care and fertilization of crops in the future" - Ms. Oanh shared.

Throughout the sugarcane fields of Tan Ky district, 3-pan and 7-pan plows, sugarcane planting and care machines are replacing humans in all stages, helping farmers reduce a lot of costs and effort; sugarcane productivity is high, from 90 - 100 tons/ha... Currently, farmers are striving to complete nearly 2,000 hectares of sugarcane in the 2019 spring crop with machines.

Mr. Nguyen Sy Hai - Head of Raw Material Development Department of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company said: Currently, sugarcane is facing many difficulties due to low prices, Tan Ky is in the same situation, so it is necessary to reduce production costs and invest in intensive farming to make a profit. To help farmers feel secure in sticking with sugarcane, the Company has implemented policies to support all growers who want to mechanize planting and land preparation with a support level of 2 million VND/ha.

The company also helps people select new sugarcane varieties with high productivity for planting; supports 3-pan plowing machines worth 2.4 million VND/ha. After harvesting, sugarcane needs to be cared for by machine and using the company's fertilizer, and is supported with 1 ton of fertilizer, equivalent to 1.8 million VND/ha...

People in Tan Luong hamlet, Tan Phu commune witness sugarcane care machines. Photo: Phuong Thao

Currently, in Tan Ky district, there are 57 large-capacity multi-function sugarcane planting machines used to plow, harrow, plant and care for sugarcane. These machines were purchased by local people and Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company. A sugarcane planting machine can plant 1.5 hectares per day, equivalent to 45 - 50 laborers... Each crop also reduces labor costs by 5 - 7 million VND per hectare.

In fact, the cost of weeding and fertilizing by machine is also reduced by more than 50% compared to traditional manual care. Fertilizer is buried in the sugarcane furrow, reducing fertilizer loss by more than 30% compared to spreading fertilizer on the field surface, thereby saving more than 30% of fertilizer costs.

Sugarcane Joint Stock Company technicians mix fertilizer to take care of sugarcane for farmers.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tan Ky district affirmed: Climate change, increasingly harsh weather, frequent droughts, while the irrigation system for sugarcane has not been built, the local government determined that if sugarcane can survive in drought conditions while increasing productivity, there is nothing other than bringing large-scale mechanization into sugarcane production.

Therefore, in the 2018-2019 crop year, the department continues to advise the District People's Committee to direct localities to coordinate with Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company to mobilize and support farmers to bring machinery into production, increase productivity, increase income for sugarcane growers, ensure that farmers have profits so that they can feel secure in production and stick with raw sugarcane on Tan Ky land.

The joint efforts and consensus from the government, businesses and farmers are the solution for the sustainable existence of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company today.