Anxiety of Anh Son sugarcane growers before the new harvest

(Baonghean.vn) - In just a few weeks, Anh Son farmers will enter the harvest season of the 2017-2018 crop year. Although this year's sugarcane yield is good, Anh Son sugarcane growers are still worried about the situation of decreasing sugar prices.

Harvesting sugarcane in Anh Son. Photo: Thai Hien

The family of Ms. Dang Thi Nguyet in Hamlet 1, Dinh Son Commune, was one of the first households to convert 5 sao of alluvial land to grow sugarcane. In the 2016-2017 sugarcane crop, her family harvested 30 tons of sugarcane, after deducting expenses, her family had over 25 million VND. Ms. Nguyet shared: Since switching to growing sugarcane, her family has had a more stable income, but when hearing the news that sugar prices will decrease in the coming years, her family was very worried, because switching to growing sugarcane is not easy while the investment costs are high.

Currently, with the sugarcane purchase price signed by Song Lam Sugarcane Joint Stock Company at the beginning of the year at 850,000 VND/ton, the profit for sugarcane growers has decreased. If it continues to decrease in the future, we sugarcane growers will hardly avoid heavy losses.

Currently, Dinh Son commune has over 300 households participating in sugarcane cultivation with a total area of ​​nearly 70 hectares, of which 50 hectares are sugarcane on alluvial land. Sugarcane yield reaches an average of 70-80 tons/ha, many sugarcane areas invested by people in villages 1, 4, 6 have a yield of nearly 100 tons/ha.

In the 2016-2017 pressing season, Dinh Son commune supplied Song Lam Sugar Joint Stock Company with over 3,000 tons of sugarcane to process. Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Chairman of Dinh Son Commune People's Committee said: Every year, Dinh Son commune has promoted propaganda and mobilized people to focus on developing and expanding sugarcane growing areas. In the local economic structure, in the upcoming 2018-2019 pressing season, the commune will expand the sugarcane growing area to 100 hectares, accounting for 1/4 of the income proportion. However, with fluctuations in market prices (down from 20,000 VND/kg to 12,000 VND/kg), many people do not dare to invest and expand the sugarcane growing area.

To stabilize sugarcane, focus on improving the quality and yield of the cultivated area.

With nearly 2,000 hectares of raw sugarcane, Anh Son district is considered one of the key sugarcane growing areas of the province, concentrated in the communes of Thanh Son, Binh Son, Tho Son, Hung Son, Dinh Son, providing stable input materials for two companies: Song Lam Sugarcane Joint Stock Company and Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company.

Planting new sugarcane in Anh Son. Photo: Thai Hien

In recent years, Anh Son district has focused on directing the implementation of production area planning, assigning annual sugarcane area development plans to localities. According to Song Lam Sugar Joint Stock Company, the Company has implemented support policies, encouraging farmers to grow sugarcane through signing investment contracts and product consumption contracts with farmers, actively supporting sugarcane growers, such as preferential loans, stable consumption and offering stable prices, at the same time investing in science and technology, introducing new varieties for new planting.

Mr. Phan Van Hoa - Director of Agriculture, Song Lam Sugar Joint Stock Company said: Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has required all sugar factories nationwide to buy sugarcane based on sugar content. Therefore, if the quality of sugarcane is improved, sugarcane growers will make a profit.

To implement raw material planting, Song Lam Sugarcane Joint Stock Company issued new policies right from the beginning of the season including: 5 million VND/ha for plowing, 11 million VND/ha for buying new sugarcane varieties, 2 tons/ha for basal fertilizer, 500 kg/ha for top dressing.

In the spring crop of 2018, the Company invested in building a high-quality sugarcane area applying sugarcane growing technology in Thung Bung area, Cam Son commune, Hung Son and planned to expand the sugarcane growing area according to the large-scale field model in Hoa Son commune, Dinh Son. The Company's goal is to strive to reach 3,000 hectares of vertical sugarcane by 2020, of which more than 70% of the area will apply high technology.

Thai Hien