Hot weather, village growing 'cooling' trees in Nghe An earns a lot of money

Solanum procumbens "sells well" thanks to the strong sunlight

People of Quynh Van commune (Quynh Luu) in the Solanum procumbens harvest season. Photo: Viet Hung

This is the 5th year that the herbal plant Solanum procumbens has been effectively grown by the people of Quynh Van commune (Quynh Luu). Especially during the hot season, this plant is harvested and sells well thanks to the high demand of consumers.

Mr. Dau Duc Tuong, a Solanum procumbens grower in Quynh Van, said that his family grows 5 sao of Solanum procumbens, and will harvest after 7 months of planting; each year they harvest 2-3 crops and it takes up to 5 years to dig up the old roots to replant. This plant is easy to grow, the investment cost is low, while the profit is high. In the first years of planting, there were times when traders bought from 60,000 - 80,000 VND/kg, but after this model was expanded, the source of goods was stable, so from 2018 to now, the selling price is at 37,000 VND/kg.

Solanum procumbens is cut, picked, dried and purchased by traders at a price of 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg. Photo: Viet Hung

From 1-2 households, up to now, the whole Quynh Van commune has about 50 households with an area of ​​over 1 hectare. Each year, the herbal village supplies the market with 7-8 tons of dried Solanum procumbens; of which the strongest consumption is in the summer with an output of 5-6 tons. Thanks to the development of herbal plants, on average, 1 sao of planting and harvesting brings people an income of 40 million VND/sao.

Picking pennywort - "picking money"!

Back in Hamlet 9, Quynh Van Commune, people growing pennywort are also busy and bustling during the harvest season. In the summer, when the weather is hot, pennywort sells better, the price increases, helping many families bring in a good income.

Gotu kola growers are reaping the rewards of a bumper crop thanks to the hot weather. Photo: Hong Dien

Ms. Hoang Thi Lan's family grows more than 1,500 m2, divided into 3 gardens; she said: "Every morning, my family picks and sells 20 - 25 kg of pennywort at the market. Due to the hot weather, people buy it to eat with raw vegetables, make salads, or even buy in large quantities to dry and make a cooling drink. From wild plants brought back to multiply in the garden, each day the family earns 500,000 VND."

Harvested pennywort is cleaned of trash to be brought to the market to sell. Photo: Hong Dien

According to households growing pennywort, on average, 1 sao of vegetables can yield up to 6 harvests, after deducting costs, the growers earn a profit of more than 30 million VND. Currently in the hot season, demand is high, pennywort sells well, the purchase price at the field is from 25 - 30 thousand VND/kg (an increase of 5,000 - 10,000 VND/kg compared to before).