Nghe An: Peanut and sesame prices drop, dealers have to sell at a loss

In Dien An commune,Dien Thinh, Dien Thanh (Dien Chau), where many agricultural product purchasing centers are located, is currently quite quiet. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, peanuts and sesame at the agents cannot be sold and have to pile up in the warehouse.

Ms. Cao Thi Loan, an agricultural product purchasing agent in Hamlet 9, Dien Thanh said: Compared to previous years, this year peanuts and sesame prices have dropped a lot. If in previous years the pricespeanutsThe price of sesame used to be from 40,000 to 50,000 VND/kg, but this year it has decreased to 30,000 to 37,000 VND/kg depending on the type. White sesame, which used to cost more than 30,000 VND/kg, has now decreased to 20,000 VND/kg; black sesame, which had the highest price of over 50,000 VND/kg, is now less than 40,000 VND/kg.

Low prices of peanuts and sesame have caused difficulties for purchasing agents. Photo: Tien Dong

In Dien Chau area, agents often purchase peanut shells from Anh Son and Tan Ky districts.Dien Chauand some districts of Ha Tinh peel the peanuts before selling them. Each kilogram of shelled peanuts when purchased costs from 20,000 to 30,000 VND/kg, depending on the quality of the peanuts. After peeling, screening (the cracked or peeled peanuts are pressed for oil), and the beautiful ones wait to be sold.

However, due to difficulties in transporting goods during the pandemic, high shipping costs have caused peanut and sesame products to be consumed very slowly. Although they know it is a loss, at the present time, if there are orders, agents have to sell them because if they wait too long, they will suffer more losses.

Because they cannot be sold, peanuts and sesame are piling up in warehouses. Photo: Tien Dong

According to business agents, previously goods were mainly exported to China. In recent years, due to the pandemic, the demand for exports to China has decreased, so the prices of these items have also decreased.

Currently, the market only relies on Hanoi and the southern provinces, but because these localities are experiencing outbreaks of the disease, consumption is also not possible.

The fall in prices of agricultural products, along with the inability to sell them, also affects the jobs of the labor force in this field. Photo: Tien Dong

It is known that this year's spring peanut crop yield in the whole province reached 6-7 quintals/ha, sesame concentrated in Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu districts, the average yield still reached about 8 quintals/ha. Impact of the epidemicCovid-19causing the prices of these agricultural products to be pulled down.

This also affects the workforce involved in this production chain. Previously, purchasing agents needed 10-15 workers to work continuously/day to meet orders, but now there are only 2-3 workers working at a low level.