Pumpkin prices reach peak, farmers in Nghe An province strike it rich.

This year, during the winter-spring season, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tinh (Dai Dong hamlet, Thuong Tan Loc commune, Nam Dan district) planted 10 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of green pumpkins. Currently, the pumpkin plants are in their second harvest. Each sao yields 2-2.5 tons, and with the current selling price of 16 million VND per ton, he expects to earn nearly 350 million VND from this pumpkin crop after 3 months of planting and caring for the plants.

Mr. Tinh said: “I planted these 10 acres of pumpkins in December, and by the beginning of March, I had my second harvest. This year, the weather has been favorable, so the pumpkins have fewer pests and diseases, resulting in high yields. Especially at this time, the price of pumpkins has increased sharply, reaching 16,000-18,000 VND/kg. Each acre brings in an income of about 30-35 million VND, a high economic value unmatched by any other crop.”

Currently, Mr. Le Luu Thang (Nam Thanh commune, Nam Dan district) has 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of pumpkins that have reached their 4th harvest. As soon as the pumpkins are harvested, traders bring trucks directly to the fields to buy them all. While the first harvest fetched around 8,000-10,000 VND/kg, this final harvest of first-grade pumpkins is priced at 18,000 VND. At this price, Mr. Thang says that farmers are making a profit of 20-25 million VND per sao.

On the vast fields of green squash, laden with fruit, farmers in Nghia Mai commune (Nghia Dan district) are busy harvesting their winter-spring squash crop. Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (Mai Son hamlet, Nghia Mai commune) said: “My family grows 1.5 hectares of green squash. Green squash can be grown year-round, but the price varies depending on the time of year. Usually, the price of squash in the winter-spring season is always higher than at other times of the year. Currently, the price is 2-3 times higher than in the spring-summer season.”

According to Ms. Cao Thi Hong, Chairwoman of the Nghia Mai Commune Farmers' Association, the entire commune cultivates 10 hectares of green squash during the winter-spring season, with some households planting 2-3 hectares. According to local calculations, each hectare of green squash requires an investment of approximately 130-150 million VND, but can yield a return of 400-600 million VND. Besides supplying areas within and outside the district, the green squash from this area is also purchased by traders from other provinces such as Thanh Hoa and Ninh Binh.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy (Dung Town, Thanh Chuong District), a specialist in purchasing green squash in Nghe An province, this year, the price of squash has been quite high since the beginning of the season, fluctuating from 10,000 to 18,000 VND/kg. Currently, the price is at its highest level, 16,000-18,000 VND/kg (depending on the variety), 3-4 times higher than last year's spring crop.

The reason for the high price of pumpkins is that this pumpkin season, in the northern provinces, the weather has been cold and harsh. Many areas are still recovering from the severe consequences of storms and haven't had time to plant, resulting in significant yields in many regions where pumpkin cultivation has faced many disadvantages.

In Nghe An province, at this time last year, pumpkin prices plummeted, sometimes falling to 3,500 VND/kg, and at their highest, only reaching 7,000 VND/kg, making them difficult to sell. As a result, farmers reduced their planting area this season. Limited supply and increased market demand have led to a rise in the price of green pumpkins.

Pumpkins are considered a key winter crop in Nghe An province, yielding good productivity and significantly higher economic efficiency than other crops on the same area. Given the volatile nature of pumpkin prices—sometimes soaring to rock bottom, other times plummeting—farmers have gradually adjusted their planting schedules, staggering their planting seasons to avoid pressure on market demand.

At the same time, it's important to understand the supply and demand situation nationwide to decide on the appropriate time for planting and to regulate the planting area rationally. In addition, connecting with traders across the country is crucial to finding markets and avoiding complete dependence on traders within the province. "Compared to other crops, pumpkins still yield the highest economic returns. At a price of 18,000-20,000 VND/kg, farmers make substantial profits, around 20-25 million VND/sao (1 sao = 360 square meters), while at a price of 5,000-7,000 VND/kg, the profit is around 10 million VND/sao," Mr. Tinh added.