Farmers are bitter about the bumper lemon harvest.

(Baonghean.vn) - Their livelihoods depend entirely on hundreds of hectares of lemon trees, yet this year, lemon growers in Nam Kim commune (Nam Dan district) are shedding tears because despite a bumper crop, the price of lemons has plummeted dramatically.

Nam Kim commune is one of the largest lemon-growing areas in Nghe An province, with a total area of ​​192 hectares. The lives of the local people have improved significantly thanks to the income from these lemon orchards. However, this year, despite a bumper lemon harvest, the selling price is two or three times lower than in previous years. The recurring problem of "bumper harvest, plummeting prices" is causing hardship for the people of Nam Kim.

Arriving at Eo Vong hamlet, one of the hamlets with the most lemon orchards in Nam Kim, one is greeted by the sight of vibrant yellow lemon trees stretching across the hillsides. Mr. Dang Van Chuong, the largest lemon grower in the hamlet with nearly 5 hectares in total, said: "In previous years, each plot of land yielded less than 1 ton of lemons, but this year every household had a bumper crop, with each plot yielding 1.5 tons. However, this year the price has dropped, so despite harvesting several tens of tons of lemons, Mr. Chuong only earned a few tens of millions of dong, a significant loss compared to last year."

Mr. Nguyen Van Long is pruning the branches of ripe yellow lemon trees to allow the lemon tree to bear fruit.

In Trang Nay hamlet, whenever we asked anyone about this year's lemon harvest, we received the same answer: "The lemon crop is bountiful, but the price has never plummeted as drastically as this year!" Mr. Nguyen Van Hue's lemon orchard is also among the families facing hardship due to lemons. Mr. Hue's family planted over 2 acres of lemon trees, harvesting nearly 2 tons, but only earned less than 7 million dong.

"Each kilogram of lemons sells for only 1,000 to 2,000 dong, not enough to cover the cost of fertilizer, transportation fees to pay traders, etc.," Mr. Hue said. On the morning of November 30th, Mr. Hue sold the remaining nearly 100 kg of good quality lemons in his garden and earned 100,000 dong. He had about 50 kg of lemons left because they were already ripe and yellow, so traders wouldn't buy them. Mr. Hue had to leave them there until they all fell to the ground.

Locals are saddened to see their lemon orchards laden with ripe, golden lemons with no buyers.

In previous years, lemons sold directly from the orchards fetched quite high prices, ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 dong per kilogram, yet people couldn't sell them fast enough to traders. Even when the lemons were still green on the trees, people harvested them because of the good price. This year, however, despite the bumper crop, the prices are dirt cheap, so lemons are left to ripen and turn yellow in every orchard.

Mr. Nguyen Van Long (Trang Nay hamlet) planted 1 hectare of lemons and harvested over 10 tons, but only earned 10 million VND. “In previous years, I earned 500,000 VND per 100 kg of lemons, but this year, even with good quality lemons, I only sold them for 100,000 VND.” According to Mr. Long, this year, a large quantity of lemons from the South were imported, resulting in a bumper crop for every household. Coupled with unstable demand and dependence on local traders, the price of lemons has plummeted.

Along with Mr. Hue's and Mr. Long's families, the families of Mr. Le Trung Cong, who cultivates over 6 sao (approximately 0.6 hectares) of lemons, and Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoai, who cultivates nearly 1 hectare, are also suffering due to the plummeting lemon prices. Mr. Cong's orchard alone still has several hundred kilograms of ripe yellow lemons that he cannot sell.

These lemons are so beautiful, yet they only sell for 1,000 to 3,000 dong per kilogram.

Mr. Trinh Quang Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Kim commune, said: "Never before has the price of lemons dropped so sharply as this year, causing hardship for the people of Nam Kim commune. Currently, the local authorities have not found any solution to remedy this situation for the following lemon seasons."

Tian Tian