Que Phong farmers build water tanks in their fields to take care of winter vegetables.

Traveling on the intra-field roads from Kim Son town to Muong Noc, Chau Kim, Tien Phong (Que Phong) communes, it is easy to see green vegetable fields stretching out, as if you were in vegetable granaries in the delta districts such as Quynh Luu, Dien Chau. Every afternoon, ethnic people bustle out to the fields, taking care of the winter vegetable beds that are in the growing period.

Muong Noc is a highland locality that grows winter vegetables on a large scale. At this time, people actively take care of vegetables and beans, considering this the main crop of the year.

While selecting the biggest cabbages to pull up and sell to customers, Ms. Lo Thi Thuong in Thanh Phong 1 village, Muong Noc commune said that her family has more than 6 sao of colored fields, but because there is not much labor, her family works on 1.5 sao, the remaining area is for 3 other families in the village to produce together.

This winter, her family grew all cabbage, and has now harvested the first crop, at a price of 20,000 VND/head. “Last winter, on this area, the family earned 23 million VND, and this winter is expected to bring a similar income. After harvesting all the cabbage, the family switched to growing peanuts, then corn and beans; it means that each year, nearly 4 crops bring income on this field, earning nearly 100 million VND,” Ms. Thuong said excitedly.

Ms. Vi Thi Lan in Thanh Phong 1 village, Muong Noc commune planted 200 m²winter vegetables. To have water for irrigation right in the field, the couple used a corner of the field to dig a 60cm deep water hole, with an area of ​​about 5m², the entire water tank is lined with tarpaulin to retain water. Every day, a pump is used to draw water from the bottom of the slot to fill the hole; every late afternoon, the couple uses a bucket to scoop water to water the vegetables.

Mr. Tran Diep Trung Duong - Vice Chairman of Muong Noc Commune People's Committee said: This winter crop, the whole commune produced nearly 30 hectares of various vegetables, of which about 4 hectares were concentratedly grown vegetables. Compared to last year, this winter crop is less, because fertilizer is expensive and the vegetable products here have difficulty competing with vegetables from the lowlands that are sold at cheap prices.

"Currently, people are actively taking care of vegetables and selling products from areas that are ready for harvest to avoid oversupply," said Tran Diep Trung Duong.

This winter crop, Que Phong district planted 746 hectares of various crops: corn, vegetables, tubers, fruits, scattered in communes, but mostly in Tien Phong, Chau Kim, Muong Noc, Tri Le communes...

Mr. Pham Hoang Mai - Director of the Que Phong District Agricultural Service Center said that the unit has advised the District People's Committee to issue a winter crop production plan; directed to do a good job of propaganda work, guiding farmers to prepare necessary conditions such as: Seeds, fertilizers, materials, land preparation, etc. Orienting the seed structure and planting season so that farmers can focus on short-term varieties with high economic value and efficiency. Thereby contributing to increasing the land use coefficient and product value per unit area.

"In vegetable fields far from streams, most people set aside a small piece of land in the corner of the field, dig deep, line it with tarps, and create a water tank. Every day, people pump water from the stream to the tank, then gradually draw water to irrigate. Thanks to that, the entire vegetable area of ​​Que Phong district grows well. Because the ethnic people here grow according to traditional processes, rarely use pesticides, and the cold climate, vegetables are safe, of guaranteed quality, and often sell at higher prices than vegetables transported from the lowlands. Many families earn tens of millions of dong from selling winter vegetables," Mr. Mai added.