Ky Son - The season of bumper harvest of cassava

(Baonghean) -The Phuxailaileng mountain range in these early winter days is always covered in white clouds. It is nearly 7am but the villages are still covered in a thick layer of fog. However, the Mong, Khmu, Thai people... in the Ky Son Economic - Defense Zone have gone to the fields very early to harvest cassava. The officers and employees of the Processing Team and the young intellectual volunteers of the Economic - Defense Group 4 also hurried to the fields to help families with difficult policies harvest and purchase cassava.

We followed the purchasing team No. 1 of the Economic - Defense Group 4 Processing Team led by Lieutenant Colonel Dang Hoai Nam, Team Leader, to the cassava growing area of ​​Phu Kha 2 village, Na Ngoi commune. The hillsides were filled with the laughter of the people. Taking advantage of the time when there were no products to purchase, we helped Mr. Mua Chong Cha's family harvest cassava. Mr. Mua Chong Cha happily said: "Following the advice of the Army Group 4, we planted a lot of cassava, so my family can freely prepare for Tet. It is expected that this year, from the cassava harvest, my family will earn about 30 million VND." Talking with him, we learned that in previous years, his family only planted less than half a hectare of cassava, mainly growing ginger, rice and corn. In early 2012, following the advice of the Army Group 4, and receiving seed support, his family reclaimed and expanded the cassava growing area to more than 1.5 hectares.

Production Team 4 - Economic - Defense Group 4 helps people
Pung village, Muong Ai commune harvests cassava.

Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Ngoc Que - Deputy Head of Economic - Defense Group 4, confided: "For more than 10 years in the Ky Son Economic - Defense Zone, the unit has experimented with planting many varieties of plants, but in the end, arrowroot is the plant that gives the best income. The specific characteristics of this area are large, the soil and climate are suitable for the development of arrowroot, so the efficiency is very high. Meanwhile, the unit accepts to consume products for the people, so the price is always stable." In order to help people gradually escape poverty, along with raising and cultivating some seedlings suitable for the weather, climate and soil, the unit focuses on propagating to people to expand the area of ​​​​growing arrowroot. Up to now, the area of ​​​​growing arrowroot in communes in the project area has increased to nearly 100 hectares, in addition, Muong Ai and Muong Tip communes have also begun to cultivate arrowroot. Thanks to favorable weather and climate, this year arrowroot grows well, the estimated output is 1.5 times higher than last year. Many households earn from arrowroot from 25 to 30 million VND each year. According to the people here, compared to growing other types of plants, the economic value of growing arrowroot is three times higher, while investment in care and fertilization is much less.

The characteristic of the arrowroot plant is that when harvested when the leaves are still green or after the leaves have dried and the plant continues to sprout, the starch content will not be high. The best harvesting time is from December of the previous year to January of the following year. At this time, the arrowroot plant has just turned one year old, so the starch content reaches its maximum and the growth cycle is over. Therefore, in addition to mobilizing people to harvest in time, the unit also sends cadres, employees and young intellectuals to volunteer to help families with difficult policies to harvest. The Processing Team is organized into 2 groups and works overtime to purchase all the arrowroot that people harvest during the day. Many days, the unit has to take advantage of breaks and at night to process in time for the season. Therefore, on days of dense fog and low temperatures, cadres, employees of the 4th Economic - Defense Group and the people still take the time to go to the fields to harvest arrowroot. The head of Pung village, Muong Ai commune, Luong Pho Keo, is busy harvesting arrowroot with his family. He excitedly said: “Although the arrowroot harvest season is hard, everyone is happy. Because this year we have a bumper harvest of arrowroot. Arrowroot is not only a hunger-busting plant, but also a plant that helps people buy many expensive conveniences.”

Phung Ngoc Thang (HT: 5NK 129 Vinh - Nghe An)