Dien Chau: Farmers sell potatoes at high prices

After more than 3 months of planting, currently, Dien Chau farmers are entering the mass harvest of 220 hectares of potatoes, of which 160 hectares in Dien Phong, Dien Ky, Dien Hoang, Dien Trung, Dien Hung, Dien Loc communes... are linked with enterprises to consume the products.

Farmers in Dien Ky commune simultaneously harvest potatoes. Photo: Mai Giang

This year, despite many weather difficulties and having to plant twice, the potato yield still averaged 1 ton/sao, with an average purchase price at the field of 7.7 million VND/ton, only 7 million VND/ton higher than last year's purchase price. Growing potatoes brings in an income equivalent to 150 million VND/ha, after deducting costs, farmers earn 100 million VND/ha.

Farmers select potatoes before importing them to businesses. Photo: Mai Giang

Ms. Thai Thi Hien - a farmer in Dien Trung commune shared: "This is the third crop my family has grown potatoes. Although this year's yield is a little lower than last year, the potatoes are bigger and more uniform, we don't have to discard as many potatoes, there is a unit that buys them right on the spot, and the income is also stable, so we are very happy."

This is the third year that Dien Chau district has participated in growing potatoes under a joint project with the Center for Application of Science and Technology Advances of Nghe An province as the organizer, the Institute of Agricultural Biology (under the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture) providing seeds, and Orion Vietnam Company purchasing all products.

Although this year's potato yield is lower than last year's, the tubers are more even and larger. Photo: Mai Giang

With stable output, farmers in Dien Chau district have expanded their acreage every year. For example, in Dien Phong commune, the first year of the experiment was only 10 hectares, now over 40 hectares have been planted. Mr. Que Van Duyen - Director of Dien Phong Cooperative (Dien Chau) said that the whole commune has about 150 households growing potatoes, mainly concentrated in Huong Duong and Dong Ho hamlets, with an expected yield of about 800 tons.

Mr. Le The Hieu - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dien Chau district said: "Potato is a crop with seasonal advantages, less competition with other crops; easy to care for, few pests, and suitable for local soil conditions. We will continue to effectively maintain the joint venture potato growing model in the winter and winter-spring crops to contribute to the implementation of the Agricultural Restructuring Project, bringing high efficiency to farmers".