A ward in Cua Lo earns billions from melons

These days, in the melon fields in Nghi Huong ward - the only locality in Cua Lo town that can grow this fruit, people are entering the first melon harvest season.

Having just finished harvesting melons, Ms. Dang Thi Nam in Block 10, Nghi Huong Ward said: This year the dry season came early so the melons grew well, even at the beginning of the season, the fruits were big and cracked evenly, customers really liked them. With 2 sao of melons, her family is expected to earn about 15 - 17 million VND from this melon crop.

Ms. Dang Thi Nam in Block 10, Nghi Huong Ward, harvested the first melons of the season with joy of a good harvest and good price. Photo: Quang An

Not far away, Ms. Vo Thi Hoa's family in block 11 is also happy because this year the melons have a good harvest and good prices. Ms. Hoa said: "As soon as the first melons are harvested, there are buyers. Melons are a type of fruit that is only sold by fruit, not by weight like other fruits. Large, beautiful fruits weighing 3 - 4 kg can be sold for up to 30,000 VND, while in 2018 they were only sold for 15,000 - 20,000 VND."

If the melon is exposed to the sun for a long time, its outer skin will crack, hence its other name, cracked melon. Photo: Quang An

Melon has been associated with Nghi Huong land for decades, becoming the main crop of the locality. Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang - an agricultural officer of Nghi Huong ward said: The whole ward currently has 10 hectares of melon, concentrated in hamlets 10, 11, 12 with over 100 households growing it; in which hamlet 10 has the largest area, accounting for over 50% of the whole ward. This is the crop with the highest economic value in the locality, generating an income of 150 - 200 million VND/ha. This year, Nghi Huong estimates to earn 1.5 - 2 billion VND from melon.

People in Nghi Huong ward (Cua Lo town) bring melons to retail on the streets in Vinh city. Photo: Quang An

However, currently, because no unit has guaranteed the consumption of melons, people mainly sell them at retail in markets and Vinh city. Discussing this issue, Mr. Quang added that there have been businesses offering to guarantee the consumption, but people are not very interested because this is a fruit that is difficult to preserve, and must be sold immediately after harvest. If they wait for the company to collect the fruit, it will spoil.

Melon is processed into a delicious dish to cool down in the summer. Photo: Document.

As a specialty of Nghi Huong ward in particular and Cua Lo town in general, the local government is currently developing a plan to widely promote melon with the hope that tourists will know about this specialty when visiting the coastal town of Cua Lo.