Sugarcane in Dong Van (Tan Ky) yields nearly 100 tons/ha.

Increase the area of ​​intensive sugarcane cultivation.

Dong Van commune has an arid terrain and difficult road access. Thung Mon village is located in the interior of the commune, with a fairly large valley stretching across the hills. Due to the sandy soil and frequent lack of water for production, the villagers mainly grow sugarcane, cassava, bananas, and other industrial crops.

Sugarcane thrives here due to the vast terrain, stable market demand, and relatively simple cultivation methods. For the past two years, cassava crops in the area have been affected by cassava mosaic disease, leading farmers to switch to sugarcane cultivation more frequently. The sugarcane area in Dong Van commune has reached nearly 500 hectares, with Thung Mon village alone accounting for 200 hectares, representing almost 40% of the total area in the commune. Of this, nearly 200 hectares yield 80-100 tons per hectare.

The sugarcane variety grown here is the NK3 variety from Thailand. According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Ngo, an agricultural officer in Dong Van commune, the secret to high-yield sugarcane cultivation in Thung Mon is: the sugarcane fields are plowed using 3-disc and 5-disc plows, and the soil is meticulously prepared according to regulations. Planting is also done using machines, with rows spaced according to regulations.

For alluvial and paddy fields, farmers plow to a depth of 30-35cm and harrow 2-3 times, making furrows once to a depth of 25-30cm. For hilly land, sugarcane rows are designed along contour lines, and where machine plowing is possible, the depth is 40-50cm. After preparation, the land is left to dry to eliminate pests and diseases. Sugarcane cuttings must meet the following requirements: They must have 2-3 healthy buds and be free from pests and diseases. The cuttings must have a diameter of over 80% of the diameter of the sugarcane stem used for planting.

In addition to the efforts of the farmers, Song Con Sugar Factory provided loans to sugarcane growers for investment, supported their livelihoods before the sugarcane harvest season, and assisted with harvesting (loading, supporting the loading of 1 ton onto trucks at a rate of 50,000 VND).

When tending the sugarcane, pesticides are also sprayed using drones with biological pesticides. In addition, each hectare of newly planted sugarcane receives a subsidy of 2 million VND. The factory also supports road repairs and makes timely and efficient payments for sugarcane to farmers. With a sugarcane yield of 100 tons/ha, the profit per hectare per year reaches 50 million VND.

The Party Committee, the government, and the Fatherland Front all joined forces.

To achieve the high sugarcane yield seen today in Thung Mon village, the roles of the Party Committee, the Fatherland Front, the commune government, and the village government are crucial. Numerous field training sessions and visits to other communes have been conducted.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Thung Mon village, said: The Party Committee and the People's Committee of the commune have directed the implementation of the plan, setting targets for production, cultivation, and livestock farming from the beginning of the year and the beginning of the season, and advised on opening training courses for people on caring for crops and livestock so that they can apply the knowledge.

The village focuses on disseminating information to the villagers, then sets up model farms. After the ratoon sugarcane has taken root and has about 5-8 leaves, nitrogen fertilizer is applied to stimulate the plant to become stronger and produce more tillers. Then, about two months later, NPK fertilizer is applied, and the leaves are removed in August or September. Ms. Thanh's family is also a household that has achieved high sugarcane yields for many years. She said that from the high-yield sugarcane farming models in the village, combined with the application of science and technology, the villagers learn and follow suit.

Due to the high profits from sugarcane cultivation, farmers pay close attention to care and apply scientific and technical methods disseminated through training sessions. Sugarcane is regularly inspected, leaves are carefully removed, weeds are promptly removed, and fertilizer is applied in a balanced manner. As a result, the area of ​​sugarcane yielding 80-100 tons/ha in Thung Mon village is 200 hectares. This is a record achievement for a remote commune.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Van commune, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, added: To achieve the current large and efficient sugarcane field, Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company annually cooperates well with the commune to organize training for farmers on intensive sugarcane cultivation techniques, providing fertilizer, seeds, and full investment loans. The commune also does a good job of planning sugarcane cultivation and investing in the development of rural transportation, creating favorable conditions for farmers to travel and produce goods. The Party Committee and the government of Dong Van commune focus on directing the development of the model and expanding the area of ​​intensive sugarcane cultivation.

To further improve sugarcane productivity and better protect the interests of farmers, sugarcane growers in Thung Mon village also requested that the factory purchase their sugarcane promptly during the harvest season. In addition, they emphasized the need for a suitable pricing policy, as sugarcane prices are sometimes lower than in other localities.