Growing muskmelons yields 200 million VND/hectare.

(Baonghean.vn) - These days, farmers in Nghi Thach commune (Nghi Loc district) are busy harvesting cantaloupe. Nghi Thach currently has over 10 hectares of cantaloupe cultivation. Each hectare of cantaloupe is yielding an income of approximately 200 million VND.

Farmers in Nghi Thach commune, Nghi Loc district, are harvesting cantaloupe.

Currently, in Nghi Thach, there are 5 hamlets that grow melons: Xuan Lac, Xuan Hoa, Xuan Tien, Xuan Thinh, and Trung Khanh, with a total area of ​​over 10 hectares.

Ms. Dao Thi Truc, a melon farmer in Xuan Thinh hamlet, said: "My family converted one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of land to growing muskmelons. I've found that growing muskmelons yields two to three times the profit compared to growing rice and other vegetables. The advantage of muskmelons is that we don't need to buy seeds; we just select ripe fruits, cut them open, extract the seeds, dry them, and store them carefully so we can use them for planting in the next season. My family's one sao of muskmelons alone brings in 8 to 10 million dong per season."

This year, the yield of honeydew melons in Nghi Thach has decreased, but the selling price is 4,000-5,000 VND/kg higher than last year.

According to melon growers, this year's yield is lower than last year's, but the melons are fragrant and delicious, and the price is higher than in previous years. The average price this year is 10,000 - 12,000 VND/kg, 4,000 - 5,000 VND/kg higher than last year, so farmers still earn nearly 200 million VND/hectare.

Cantaloupe, also known as cracked melon.

Previously, the area planted with muskmelon in Nghi Thach was only about 1 hectare, mainly in Trung Khanh hamlet. Since 2005, the area has continuously expanded, concentrating in Trung Khanh, Xuan Lac, Xuan Tien, Xuan Hoa, and Xuan Thinh hamlets. By 2007, the commune had shifted its crop structure on the high-lying, inaccessible land areas such as Cang Ba, Nuong Toan, and Sau Dinh, where water sources were not readily available.

Mr. Dang Huu Thin, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Thach commune, said: "The economic efficiency from growing muskmelon is very promising, opening up a new direction for the people of Nghi Thach, overcoming difficulties caused by the complex farming terrain. The commune also focuses on changing the crop structure, upgrading the irrigation system, encouraging the expansion of muskmelon cultivation area, and promoting the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge for farmers to apply, improving the quality and yield of the crop."

Customers who prefer Nghi Thach honeydew melons often come directly to the fields to purchase them.

The honeydew melon, also known colloquially as cracked melon, is currently considered a specialty crop in Nghi Loc. This type of melon has a thin rind; when ripe, the flesh turns powdery and expands, causing the rind to crack. It has a sweet, fragrant, and refreshing taste.

Thu Hien - Ngoc Mai

Nghi Loc Radio and Television Station