Pumpkin growers face empty harvest in tears

(Baonghean.vn) - Quynh Yen (Quynh Luu) is a commune with a winter crop production movement. In addition to traditional crops such as sweet potatoes and corn, people also grow squash and pumpkin. However, squash farmers are currently facing the risk of major crop losses, even total losses, due to the recent floods.

Ho Thi Son's family in Hamlet 10, Quynh Yen Commune, grows 7 sao of pumpkin in Dong Cao. In the winter crop of 2015, she only grew 2 sao, but found it easy to grow, less labor-intensive to care for, and brought in 2-3 times more income than other crops, so this year she boldly consolidated all of her family's fields into the same field to expand the area.

It is expected that her family will earn more than 20 million VND from this pumpkin crop, but before they can enjoy the joy of a good harvest, Ms. Son's family is now worried about 7 sao of pumpkins damaged and rotten due to the recent heavy rain.

Ms. Ho Thi Son is sad over her family's 7-acre pumpkin field that was just lost due to flooding.

The second crop of squash did not develop due to the impact of the cold air. Just counting the investment cost alone, her family lost more than 5 million VND. Ms. Ho Thi Son said: “When these 7 sao were first planted, the rain washed away 2 million VND worth of seeds, and then we had to replant many times. However, when it came time to harvest, we still lost everything.”

In the winter crop of 2016, the whole Quynh Yen commune planted nearly 150 hectares of various crops, of which nearly 20 hectares were green squash and pumpkin. In previous years, squash brought high income to local people, and the output of squash was also convenient, with traders coming to the fields to buy.

If the weather is favorable, each sao of pumpkin can yield 4-5 quintals, with the import price to traders being 6-7 thousand VND/kg, and if sold at the market at a higher price, about 9-10 thousand VND/kg, people can earn around 3 million VND.

However, this winter crop, most of the squash and pumpkin growing areas in Quynh Yen commune suffered major losses, especially pumpkins, due to the impact of prolonged flooding. In total, the commune lost more than 10 hectares of pumpkins, worth about 500 million VND.

The squash was ready for harvest but was flooded and rotten. Each sao suffered an estimated loss of more than 3 million VND.

Mr. Ho Xuan Duc - Deputy Director of Thuong Yen Agricultural Cooperative, Quynh Yen Commune said: "It rained continuously so we could not fertilize, most of the squash were damaged, the remaining plants are now just growing. This type of seed is very expensive, 400 thousand per sao, of which the government has supported 50%, people hope to receive more support to reduce the loss of labor and money."

Currently, the locality and agricultural cooperatives are compiling statistics and reviewing the reported area to higher levels to receive support and encouragement from people to continue to maintain the winter crop production movement in the following years./.

Le Nhung