Peach blossoms early, Quynh Luu farmers in trouble

(Baonghean.vn) - Besides the main crops such as pineapple, cassava, sugarcane, incense... peach is also considered a hunger eradication and poverty reduction tree for people in the mountainous areas of Quynh Luu district. However, this year, Quynh Luu farmers had a loss of crops because most of the peach acreage bloomed early and bore young fruit.

The family of Mr. Hoang Van Dang and Ms. Tang Thi Ly is the household that grows the most ornamental peach trees in hamlet 19/8, Tan Thang mountainous commune. With more than 3 sao of adjacent garden land, for many years, the couple has specialized in growing ornamental peach trees to serve the Tet market. Currently, in her garden, there are about 300 peach trees, of which 100 are young trees a few years old, 200 are mature trees that are ready for harvest.

If according to the market price, an average peach tree costs 500 thousand, her family would have a revenue of nearly 100 million from the peach garden. However, this year, due to unusual weather, heavy rain, cold, half a month later than Tet, her peach garden has already bloomed, some of the flowers have withered and produced young fruit. Looking at the peach garden in bloom, Ms. Ly said in dismay: "This year's Tet situation is a failure. Heavy rain, moist soil makes peaches bloom early. Peaches started blooming in early October, now there are small fruits."

Along with Mr. Dang's family and Ms. Ly's family, there are more than 50 households developing their economy from peach trees in Tan Thang commune, concentrated in 4 hamlets: 19/8; 2/9; 12/9; 26/3, all in the same situation. Small households have four or five dozen trees, many have up to hundreds of trees that have "blossomed and borne fruit". Taking us to visit the peach garden with more than 200 trees, Mr. Nguyen Van Linh in hamlet 2/9 said: "Growing peach trees to sell during Tet is very hard, from the time of planting until harvest, it takes 3 to 5 years. To have a beautiful peach tree that can be sold at a high price, it takes a lot of effort to take care of it, and meticulously prune the branches. Growing peach trees can only be sold during Tet, if the weather does not give us food, we will have to give up".

Tan Thang is a mountainous commune of Quynh Luu district, with nearly 50% of the commune's population being Thai and Tho ethnic groups. The lives of the people here are still very difficult. Mr. Le Van Huyen, Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Tan Thang commune, added: Peach trees are the key tree for people to have more income for Tet, this year, due to the weather, peach blossoms bloom early, affecting the economic life of the people during Tet."

Currently, not only Tan Thang commune but also most peach growers in Quynh Luu district such as Quynh Tam, Quynh Chau, Quynh Thang, Quynh Trang... are all suffering from crop losses. It can be seen that peach trees have high economic value but are too dependent on the weather. Specialized sectors need to find a method to help growers take the initiative in developing ornamental peach trees, minimizing damage to farmers.

Nhu Thuy