Watermelon prices fluctuate, growers are sad
(Baonghean.vn) - After nearly 3 months of planting, farmers in Nghia Dan district are now harvesting watermelons. However, the fluctuating price of watermelons has left growers feeling disappointed.
According to Mr. Hoang Van Dinh in Dua hamlet, Nghia Yen commune: "At the beginning of the season, the price of melons dropped, selling for only 6,000 - 6,500 VND/kg, we were worried, but now it is only 4,500 - 5,000 VND/kg, so we will lose money."
Mr. Le Van Ha in Tan Lien hamlet, Nghia Son commune, a long-time melon grower in the area, said: "This year, my family planted early melons on an area of 2.1 hectares. After nearly 3 months of planting, we have harvested with a yield of 20 - 25 tons/ha.Compared to this time in 2017, although productivity has increased, prices have decreased. If last year, at this time, melons sold at the field had an average price of 8,000 VND/kg, this year it is only 4,500-5,000 VND/kg."
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| Melon prices are low but farmers still have to harvest to sell. Photo: Minh Thai |
According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghia Dan district, the total area of spring-summer watermelon cultivation in the district is nearly 500 hectares, mainly concentrated in the communes of Nghia Mai, Nghia Lam, Nghia Yen, Nghia Binh, Nghia Son... In which Nghia Son occupies a relatively large area, about 85 hectares, mainly people here rent land in neighboring communes such as Nghia Binh, Nghia Trung (Nghia Dan) and Bai Tranh commune, Nhu Xuan district (Thanh Hoa) to grow.
According to Mr. Tran Quoc Hong - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Son commune: In fact, the current price of watermelon has dropped to nearly half of the price at the same time last year, however, farmers cannot help but harvest because the watermelons are ripe, not to mention that if they are not harvested in time and it rains, the watermelons will easily crack and they will not know who to sell them to.
