Nghi Thach farmers earn 1 billion VND from growing lotus flowers to sell

(Baonghean.vn) - Nghi Thach Commune (Nghi Loc) currently has 15 hectares of lotus ponds. Each year, about 20 households earn about 1 billion VND from growing lotus.

Mr. Mai Khac Nho (Trung Khanh hamlet, Nghi Thach commune) is one of the households that grows lotus, with an area of ​​over 1 hectare. He has been growing lotus for over 5 years now, and lotus plants planted once can be harvested for many years. The lotus harvest season starts from May to the end of August. At this time, lotus is in season, on average, his family sells about 100 bunches of flowers per day; peak on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month (selling over 700 bunches), each bunch costs from 8,000 - 10,000 VND, earning over 500,000 VND/day.

Nghi Thach people harvest lotus.

Mr. Nho said: Lotus is very easy to grow, and does not cost much in fertilizer, pesticides, and weeding like other plants. Each year, lotus yields one harvest for nearly 3 months. On average, each crop, my family earns about 70 - 80 million VND from selling parts of the lotus plant such as: flowers, leaves, seeds, and shoots.

Lotus flowers are increasingly in demand, each bunch sells for about 10,000 VND.

Previously, Nghi Thach people used ponds to raise fish and spontaneously planted lotus. However, in recent years, lotus has been favored by the market, sold at a good price, and brought high economic efficiency, so this model has been increasingly replicated. Currently, the whole commune has 15 hectares out of a total of 21 hectares of ponds converted to grow lotus.

In the whole Nghi Thach commune, 15ha/21ha of ponds have been converted to grow lotus by people, bringing high income.

Mr. Dao Huu Thin - Chairman of Nghi Thach Commune Farmers' Association said: The whole commune has nearly 20 households growing lotus, with an area of ​​over 15 hectares; in total, the whole commune earns about 1 billion VND/year. Realizing the effectiveness of lotus in economic development and helping to improve soil quality and living environment, in the coming time, the commune has a policy to continue to mobilize people to convert ineffective pond areas to grow lotus; or combine growing this flower with fish farming to increase people's income.

Thu Hien - Ngoc Mai

Nghi Loc Radio and Television Station