The craft of making money in Yen Thanh

• January 7, 2010 10:50

Yen Thanh is widely known for its intensive rice cultivation, with an annual planted area of ​​approximately 25,000 hectares, of which hybrid and high-quality rice account for about 70%.

Annual rice production exceeds 150,000 tons, but average revenue from rice farming is only 22-25 million VND/hectare/year. Following the district People's Committee's high-income farming development project for the period 2006-2010, many households have boldly started growing chrysanthemums.

Image:Tran To

Speaking with us, Mr. Nguyen Van Bao from Hamlet 3, Town, said: "Switching crop structure to achieve high income of 50 million VND/hectare/year or more requires applying scientific and technological advancements, selecting crops with low investment costs, short growing seasons, increasing the number of planting cycles, matching consumer preferences, and bringing high economic efficiency per unit area."

"From 2006 to the present, my brothers and I have moved our land to Dong Nha Do, covering an area of ​​7 sao (3,500 m2), to grow flowers for sale during the Lunar New Year, such as large chrysanthemums and smaller chrysanthemums in various colors including white, yellow, purple, brown, and red." Chrysanthemums are popular with consumers, have a short growing season (from November 15th to 30th), and take about 90 days from planting to harvesting. The input costs are only about 5 million VND per sao, which is affordable for farmers but yields high economic returns.

In 2008, due to unfavorable weather conditions at the beginning of the season, many flowers died. The market in the region and surrounding areas was in great demand for flowers, and they sold at very good prices, mainly wholesale to traders at the fields at an average price of 2,000 VND/plant, while retail prices at the fields were 2,500-3,000 VND/plant.

Thus, one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) yields about 13,000 plants, generating a revenue of 26 million VND at wholesale prices. After deducting expenses, the net profit is 21 million VND per sao (equivalent to 420 million VND per hectare).

As a result, the lives of these families have improved significantly; every household has been able to purchase motorbikes, televisions, and multi-functional tractors to serve their daily lives and production.


To date, many other households in neighboring localities such as Tang Thanh, Xuan Thanh, Van Thanh, Hau Thanh, Lang Thanh... have come to learn flower cultivation in the town. Growing chrysanthemums is truly a new profession, bringing high economic efficiency to farmers in the rice-growing region.


Dang Ngoc Thu