Nam Tan watermelon has high price

(Baonghean.vn) - This summer-autumn crop, Nam Tan commune, Nam Dan put into production 125 hectares of commercial melons, an increase of 15 hectares compared to last year. Although the yield is low, it is sold at a high price, soCurrently, melon growers are focusing on harvesting.

These days, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lan's family in Hamlet 5, Nam Tan Commune is actively harvesting watermelons in the fields. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, erratic rain and sunshine, especially during the fruiting season when there is a lot of rain, the fruit set rate is low, leading to a decrease in yield and quality compared to previous years, with an average of only 1 ton of fruit per sao. The yield is low, but in return, the melons sell for a good price, each kg of melon is purchased by traders at the field for 6,000 - 7,000 VND, on average, Mrs. Lan's family earns over 6 million VND per sao after deducting expenses.

Compared to other crops, watermelon still has high economic efficiency, short growing time, creating conditions for farmers to produce early spring corn for high income in the next crop. Ms. Lan said: "This year, my family planted 2 sao of watermelon, compared to last year, the yield is not as good but the price is higher. Compared to beans and peanuts, watermelon is still a more effective crop."

Traders buy watermelons from Nam Tan people at the field. Photo by Kim Dung

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai in Hamlet 5, Nam Tan is the household with the largest commercial watermelon production area in Nam Tan commune. Although he has a lot of experience in care and technical process application, according to Mr. Hai, in 2017, the climate is unpredictable, so the watermelon yield is lower than last year, averaging only about 1 ton/sao.

Mr. Hai said: “This year, the weather has been rainy, the yield is low, but in return, the price is high, almost double last year, so it brings high income to the people. Therefore, every year, watermelon is still the plant that people plant a lot, next year and the following years, farmers in Nam Tan will plant more watermelon.”

Bustling atmosphere of melon purchasing in the field. Photo by Kim Dung

The advantage of watermelon is its short growing period, suitable for alluvial soil along the river. Moreover, the summer-autumn crop is the time when it is easy to consume and sell at a good price, bringing high economic value per unit area and avoiding natural disasters such as floods. Compared to last year, this year the watermelon area has increased by more than 15 hectares, mainly arranged with Nong Viet, Phu Dong and Hoan Chau melon varieties.

To avoid the situation of mass production and difficult consumption, the commune has proactively arranged the production of many different melons, so up to this point, most of the melon area has been harvested with quite high economic efficiency. After harvesting all these melon crops, farmers in Nam Tan commune continue to plant and care for the next melon crops, in order to increase the income value per unit area.

People bring watermelons to sell along Highway 15A. Photo by Kim Dung

Ms. Dang Thi Hang - Head of the Agriculture Department of Nam Tan - Nam Dan commune said: "To increase the income value per unit area, in the summer-autumn crop of 2017, in addition to growing rice, Nam Tan commune also grows some crops such as beans and sesame on fertile land, but the main crop is still watermelon. Compared to 2016, in 2017, the watermelon growing area is larger with a total area of ​​125 hectares, expanding more than in 2016. Although the yield is not as high as in 2016, the purchase price is higher, averaging 6,500-7,500 VND/kg, which is purchased by traders at the field. Seeing the effectiveness of watermelon growing, Nam Tan farmers continue to grow watermelon in the following year, to ensure income per unit area."

The effectiveness of watermelon has confirmed that this is the right direction in directing summer-autumn crop production in Nam Tan. Climate change once again gives farmers experience in crop scheduling, affirming that the main crop is suitable for the local soil characteristics.

Kim Dung

Nantan Radio Station