Outdoor melons grown in Nghe An are heavy with fruit and in high demand on hot days.

Mr. Thai Doan Tuan takes care of the outdoor melon garden he planted, preparing for harvest. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the past, Dong Bau field of hamlet 6, Lang Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) was used by people to grow crops or rice for low income, because they could not control irrigation water and sandy soil.

In recent years, Mr. Thai Doan Tuan's family in Hamlet 3, Lang Thanh Commune has boldly accepted the commune's contract for an area of ​​4 hectares to renovate and produce crops with high economic value. This spring-summer crop, Mr. Tuan's family grows 3 types of melons including cantaloupe, honeydew melon and watermelon. Thanks to proactive irrigation water from on-site wells, appropriate investment, and application of techniques according to the instructions of agricultural extension officers, the melons have high yields and good quality.

Mr. Tuan said that people usually grow melons in greenhouses, but I grow them outdoors and the fruit is still big and of good quality. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Recently, Mr. Tuan's family harvested watermelons, yielding over 1.2 tons/sao, with a selling price of 15,000 VND/kg, earning 15 million VND. Currently, Mr. Tuan's family is also taking care of 15 sao of melons and cantaloupes outdoors.

"In about 7 days, my family will harvest all the large melons and cantaloupes. The weather is hot, many customers have placed orders, the price depends on the weight of the fruit. The large, beautiful fruit costs 45,000 VND/kg" - Mr. Tuan said.

The melon garden of Mr. Thai Doan Tuan's family. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Ho Son - Chairman of Lang Thanh Commune People's Committee said that in recent years, the locality has had a policy of encouraging people to take on contracts for poor and remote lands to build farms. There have been some households who have boldly taken on contracts to build effective farms, in which the outdoor melon growing model of Mr. Thai Doan Tuan and his wife is new, attracting many people in the commune and neighboring communes to visit and learn from the experience.

Mr. Thai Doan Tuan's family's outdoor melons grow well. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Trong Huong - in charge of Yen Thanh District Agricultural Extension Station added: Previously, people often invested in growing melons in greenhouses, with a large investment, but in Yen Thanh district, the unit has been implementing 3 outdoor melon growing models with a total area of ​​6 hectares in 2 communes of Lang Thanh and Bao Thanh.

Evaluation shows that 1 sao of melon grown outdoors yields 8 quintals/sao, with the current average selling price of 30,000 VND/kg, worth 24 million VND. These models are supported by the District Agricultural Extension Station with 50% of the price of seeds, fertilizers, irrigation systems and technical guidance for care.