Nghe An: Expanding potato acreage on sandy land

Expand the area

Since 2019, based on the connection of the Department of Science and Technology on research, application of varieties and the province's incentive and support policies, potatoes have been experimentally grown and have brought success in Dien Chau land. From the initial few dozen hectares in Dien Phong and Dien Thinh areas, potatoes have expanded to hundreds of hectares inDien Chau coastal area, alluvial land of Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong districts... In 2022, with the consent of the province and localities, the area of ​​raw materials will continue to be expanded by the enterprise with support policies on seeds and product consumption for farmers.

Along with cultivating, in dry weather, people in Dien Hung, Dien Chau water regularly to limit frost damage to potato leaves. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Mr. Nguyen Anh Hung - Director of the Agricultural Service Center of Quynh Luu district shared: Based on the support policies of the province and district, the connection of enterprises, the Center has coordinated with agricultural service cooperatives to organize training and mobilize people. After being trained and given technical guidance, the cooperatives boldly stood up to connect with enterprises and bring potato varieties for planting. Up to this point, after 1 month of planting, although the planting area is only over 5 hectares, it can be seen that this is a potential winter crop and is highly appreciated by people.

The potato garden of Ms. Ho Thi Dien, Hamlet 7, Quynh Nghia Commune, Quynh Luu. was planted just over a month ago but encountered heavy rain from November 23-25, 2022 - Photo: Nguyen Hai

Talking to some potato-growing households in Quynh Minh and Quynh Nghia communes, we found that they had grown many vegetables so they were not too unfamiliar with potatoes. What people care about when accepting the model is to ensure stable output, so that people have more choices and diversify their crops in the winter-spring crop.

Ms. Ho Thi Dien in Hamlet 7, Quynh Nghia Commune (Quynh Luu) said: Her family has 2 sao of alluvial land, and thanks to the Cooperative's mobilization, this crop we have reserved 1 sao to grow white potatoes. With the Cooperative's guidance on registration, the Company providing seeds and guaranteeing the products, we feel more secure; in previous years, my family and some other families grew yellow potatoes, each sao harvested 1.3-1.5 tons, so we had to sit at the market and sell them for a whole month, while growing vegetables was slow.

Similarly, in Thuong Tan Loc commune (Nam Dan), people in the alluvial land along the river have long been accustomed to growing biomass corn, soybeans or early spring peanuts to rotate crops. However, this year, with the encouragement of the district and commune, people in Dai Dong hamlet have also boldly registered to receive potato seeds to plant. Mr. Nguyen Huu Tinh - Head of Dai Dong village, Thuong Tan Loc commune said: Potatoes were only planted nearly 2 months ago, the original plan was to plant 6 hectares, but due to floods, only 4 hectares were planted. Potatoes are very easy to care for, low cost, he and the people hope that the new crop will be successful so that they can be expanded further.

Difficulties need to be remedied

Mr. Ho Mau Tuan - Director of Quynh Minh Agricultural and Salt Cooperative (Quynh Luu) said: For a long time, people have been growing yellow potatoes for sale, while the potato variety sponsored by the enterprise is white potato... Therefore, the care method is also different and people are wondering if the company does not buy all of it, can people sell it outside?

The sandy land of Bai Ngang beach along the coast of Quynh Luu and Dien Chau is quite suitable for growing potatoes. Photo: Nguyen Hai

According to the representative of the Agricultural Service Center of Quynh Luu district, through the survey, the sandy land along the coast is quite suitable for potatoes, but the limitation is that the area is still fragmented and not concentrated, so it is difficult to invest in an irrigation system. Potatoes cannot withstand waterlogging, but when the weather is dry, they must be watered regularly to develop the root system and limit frost...

The first experimental crop in Quynh Luu district showed that although the crop was planted late and "avoided" the storm caused by storm No. 4, it encountered the last flood of the season at the end of November, which severely affected the yield.

Model of growing potatoes intercropped with many other winter crops by Mr. Ho Ba Thang - Director of Quynh Nghia Agricultural Service Cooperative (Quynh Luu). Photo: Nguyen Hai

Observations on potato growing areas in Quynh Nghia and Quynh Minh communes show that, except for the potato area of ​​Quynh Minh Agricultural Salt Cooperative, which is grown on land that has specialized vegetable crops, so the infrastructure investment is quite systematic and has an irrigation system, the remaining potato areas of households are quite fragmented and do not have electricity for irrigation.

Winter potato harvest in 2021 in Dien Phong commune (Dien Chau) yielded from 1.3-1.5 tons/sao. Photo: Nghe An Newspaper Document

Crop engineers say: Potato plants, like tomatoes, are quite sensitive to frost. At the beginning of the year, coastal areas often have frost, so farmers need to pay attention. If not detected and washed in time, the leaves will wither, affecting productivity.

Mr. Nguyen Van Long - Agricultural civil servantThuong Tan Loc commune(Nam Dan) said: According to the experience of the people of Dai Dong village (formerly Nam Tan commune), the potato plant has the same growth period as some other winter crops in the area. It must be planted early to get a good harvest near Tet, then the price will be good and the profit will be 4-5 million VND/sao/3 months. However, if there is flood and frost, if not taken care of well, the risk of failure is very high.

After the first time the seeds were damaged by flood, the Quynh Minh Agricultural and Salt Cooperative (Quynh Luu) decided to plant the seeds a second time but in a greenhouse area for convenient irrigation. Photo: Nguyen Hai

On the other hand, according to Mr. Phan Duy Hai - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, seed prices are a major obstacle when considering expanding acreage. Last year, although the province had a separate support policy for potatoes, the budget of only 2.5 billion VND divided across the province was insignificant. The price of finished potatoes sold on the market was only 7,000-8,000 VND/kg, but seed potatoes were 21-22 thousand VND/kg. Each sao needed about 70 kg of seed potatoes, equivalent to 1.5 million VND, which is not a small expense for farmers.

When planting potatoes, people are supported with 50% of the seed cost and the investment enterprise advances to farmers according to the conversion principle, providing 1 kg of seeds, when purchasing, they will pay 2.7 kg of finished potatoes. Currently, because the state supports 50% of the seeds and the enterprise guarantees the product, people are boldly trying it, but if the province and district do not have a support mechanism and the price of seed potatoes remains too high as it is now, it will be difficult to expand the area.