A joyful season in Luu Thong

(Baonghean) - Perched precariously on a high mountain peak, Luu Thong village (Luu Kien commune - Tuong Duong district) has 59 households and 315 inhabitants, all of whom are Mong ethnic people. Over the years, thanks to the attention of the Party and State, and investment from various programs and projects, Luu Thong village is undergoing a transformation. This year, the Mong people in Luu Thong share the joy of a bountiful harvest of corn and pumpkins.

Buying corn in Luu Thong village (Luu Kien, Tuong Duong).

These days, in Luu Thong village, every house's porch is piled high with green squash and corn. The corn cobs are plump and golden; the large, green squashes are arranged in rows and piled up in the fields, beside the houses, and in the drying yards; the sound of corn shelling machines hums... Along the trails leading to the fields, people are carrying corn and squash back to the village. This year, the people of Luu Thong village are very happy; the squash and corn harvest is abundant and the prices are good.

We visited the family of Mr. Vu Gia Nenh in the village while he and his wife were harvesting corn. His family is one of the households that grows the most corn and pumpkins in the village, with 20 kg of CP888 and VN10 corn seeds. Every day, while the mountain mist still lingers on the hillsides and the paths are still unclear, Mr. and Mrs. Vu Gia Nenh pack their lunches and head to the fields to weed and fertilize their corn and pumpkins. Thanks to their diligence and hard work, the Hmong people in Luu Thong have transformed barren hills into lush green cornfields with large, evenly sized kernels, yielding a good income. This year, Mr. Nenh's family harvested 7 tons of corn and 7 tons of green pumpkins. The joy of a bountiful harvest was clearly visible on their faces. Mr. Nenh shared: “This year, my corn field used 20 kg of seeds, yielding 7 tons, and 7 tons of pumpkins, which sold for 40 million dong. That's enough money to pay for my children's education and buy household items. Next year, I will clear land and plant more corn and pumpkins...”

Thanks to the corn and zucchini crops, not only Nenh's family but many other households in Luu Thong village have been able to build new houses, buy motorbikes, and invest in their children's education. The joy of a bountiful harvest spreads throughout the village, with families gathering their produce on their porches, waiting to sell to traders. Along the newly built, wide concrete road leading into the village, trucks loaded with corn and zucchini head to their destinations in the lowland districts.

For generations, the Hmong people in Luu Thong have been known for their diligence, hard work, and preservation of many high-yielding and high-quality local crop and livestock varieties such as green squash, cucumbers, and upland sticky rice. In 2014, the entire village planted 90 hectares of corn and 30 hectares of green squash, accounting for a large proportion of the total planted area in the district. This season, the villagers had a bumper harvest with 300 tons of corn and over 200 tons of squash. Notably, the village received investment from the government to build a concrete road from National Highway 7A to the center of the village, making it convenient for traders' vehicles to come and buy produce from households. As a result, agricultural product prices have increased, and sales are easier. Village elder Vu Tong Ma happily said: "Previously, the villagers used to plant upland rice, which was hard work but yielded low productivity and often led to food shortages. Thanks to the encouragement from agricultural extension officers from the district and commune to switch to planting corn and squash; and with the provision of seeds, fertilizers, and guidance on how to care for them, the villagers are very happy." With suitable soil and climate, corn and pumpkins grow well, producing large ears and fruits. The road to the village is convenient, and the prices are good, so the villagers are very happy. Corn and pumpkins are becoming a poverty-alleviating crop for the people of Luu Thong...

With a bountiful harvest, the Mong people of Luu Thong are overjoyed because they no longer have to worry about food and clothing; all their daily needs are fully met, and they are very enthusiastic about continuing to increase production in the next season. Their efforts in production have contributed to the shift in crop structure in the right direction, fulfilling the targets of the Party Congress Resolutions at all levels in the locality.

Khanh Hien

Tuong Duong Radio and Television Station