The effectiveness of exporting sweet peppers in An Hoa.

(Baonghean)To increase the income of local farmers, An Hoa commune (Quynh Luu district) recently launched a trial planting of sweet peppers for export. After more than four months of implementation, the model has proven effective.

With all the seeds provided free of charge by Dong Giao Company (Ninh Binh province), in early December 2011, Mr. Hoang Van Binh's family in But Linh hamlet, An Hoa commune, began a trial planting of sweet peppers on their 1 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of arable land. Despite unfavorable weather conditions this year affecting the pepper plants' growth, thanks to proper care following the technical guidelines provided by the company, Mr. Binh's sweet pepper plants thrived and produced abundant fruit. Mr. Binh stated: "We expect each sweet pepper plant to yield 1 to 1.2 kg, averaging 1 to 1.2 tons per sao. At the company's current purchase price of 4,400 VND/kg, each sao will generate an income of 5-6 million VND, significantly higher than growing rice and other crops previously."

An Hoa commune has partnered with Dong Giao company to cultivate sweet peppers for export on 7 hectares. Participating farmers receive free support from the company in terms of seeds, fertilizers, and product purchase contracts, as well as training in cultivation techniques. After more than four months of implementation, the sweet peppers have begun to yield fruit. According to local farmers, sweet peppers are easy to grow and care for, are resistant to pests and diseases, and are suitable for various soil types, especially in mountainous areas with good drainage. The export-quality sweet peppers produce large, uniform fruits, meeting the demands of customers, particularly in the export market.

Mr. Le Van Quyet, Vice Chairman of the An Hoa Commune People's Committee, said: "Implementing the economic development program from 2010 to 2012, the commune has introduced many new crops to gradually replace traditional crops on over 80 hectares of arable land. This year, although the weather has been unpredictable, affecting the growth of many crops, initial trials have shown that sweet peppers for export have yielded relatively high results. Farmers are very excited and confident to expand the planted area next year."

The initial success of the sweet pepper export model is creating favorable conditions for the locality to increase the planted area in subsequent seasons, aiming to replace traditional crops such as corn, peanuts, and tobacco. However, this is a new crop, primarily produced for export, so farmers in An Hoa commune are hoping that relevant authorities will provide specific guidance to reassure them about expanding the planted area and mass production. This will prevent the situation of a bumper harvest followed by a drop in prices, which could negatively impact their livelihoods.

Minh Hang