In the scorching heat, villages in Nghe An province that grow 'cooling' plants are earning a lot of money.

Solanum torvum is selling well thanks to the strong sunshine.

People in Quynh Van commune (Quynh Luu district) are harvesting Solanum torvum (thorny eggplant) during harvest season. Photo: Viet Hung

This is the fifth year that the medicinal herb Solanum torvum has been successfully cultivated by the people of Quynh Van commune (Quynh Luu district). Especially during the hot season, this plant is harvested and sells well due to increased consumer demand.

Mr. Dau Duc Tuong, a farmer growing Solanum torvum in Quynh Van, said that his family cultivates 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of Solanum torvum. After 7 months of planting, they can harvest 2-3 crops per year, and the plants can be grown for up to 5 years before needing to be dug up and replanted. This plant is easy to grow, requires low investment costs, and yields high profits. In the early years of cultivation, traders sometimes bought it for 60,000-80,000 VND/kg, but after this model was expanded and the supply became stable, the selling price has been around 37,000 VND/kg from 2018 to the present.

The dried Solanum torvum plant is harvested and bought by traders at a price of 25,000 – 30,000 VND/kg. Photo: Viet Hung

From just 1-2 households cultivating the herb, the entire Quynh Van commune now has over 50 households with an area of ​​more than 1 hectare. Each year, the village produces 7-8 tons of dried Solanum torvum (Solanum torvum) for the market; with the strongest demand during the summer, reaching 5-6 tons. Thanks to the development of this herb, the average income for the villagers is 40 million VND per sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of cultivated land.

Picking purslane is like "picking money"!

Back in Hamlet 9, Quynh Van Commune, the villagers growing water spinach are also busy and bustling during the harvest season. In the summer, when the weather is hot, water spinach sells even better, and the high prices have helped many families earn a considerable income.

Farmers growing water spinach are reaping a bountiful harvest thanks to the hot weather. Photo: Hong Dien

Ms. Hoang Thi Lan's family cultivates over 1,500 square meters of land, divided into three gardens. She said: "Every morning, my family harvests 20-25 kg of Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) to sell at the market. Due to the hot weather, people buy it to eat with raw vegetables, make salads, or even buy large quantities to dry and brew into a cooling drink. By cultivating this wild plant in our garden, my family earns 500,000 VND per day."

The harvested purslane is cleaned of debris before being taken to the market for sale. Photo: Hong Dien

According to farmers growing water spinach, on average, one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of land yields up to 6 harvests, resulting in a profit of over 30 million VND after deducting expenses. Currently, during the hot season, demand is high, and water spinach is selling well, with purchase prices at the farm ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 VND/kg (an increase of 5,000 to 10,000 VND/kg compared to before).