Growing young corn as feed for cows earns 25 billion VND per crop

(Baonghean.vn) - This spring crop, Nghi Loc produced nearly 2,800 hectares of corn of all kinds, of which up to 700 hectares of the communes in the western part of the district planted young red corn to supply food for the Australian cattle farm.Red corn output is estimated at 28,000 tons, with three harvests per year, generating revenue of 75 billion VND/year.

To meet the feed needs of the Australian cattle farm located in Nghi Lam commune, from 2014 to present, Nghi Loc district has converted and expanded the area of ​​red corn cultivation. In Nghi Lam commune alone, the Australian cattle farm has signed a contract to purchase corn products from farmers in hamlets 4, 5, 12 and 13.

The commune has converted 80 hectares of ineffective rice fields to red corn. The harvest time of this corn variety is 3 months, with an average yield of 40 tons/ha. Each crop, Nghi Lam commune harvests about 3,200 tons of corn plants to sell to Australian cattle farms, with an estimated value of 2.7 billion VND/crop.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van's family (Hamlet 1) was excited when selling corn at a good price. It is estimated that her family's 2 sao of spring corn this year brought in an income of 3.6 million VND.

Currently, semi-mountainous communes such as Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu, Nghi My - areas that are often dry and lack water for cultivation - have also converted the area of ​​chives and corn for grain cultivation to corn for harvest. On average, each household grows from 2 to 5 sao.

The red corn varieties that provide feed for cows that are grown by local people are: CT888, CT919, CT999, CT989... with outstanding advantages such as short growing period (3 months), 1 month shorter than grain corn; higher plant density, high yield and higher economic value (estimated at 1.8 million/sao) higher than grain corn (1.2 million/sao). Therefore, local people are very responsive to the conversion to growing corn to supply the Australian cattle farm.

To meet the demand for purchasing corn plants from the Australian cattle farm, this spring crop Nghi Van commune planted 425 hectares of red corn. Ms. Nguyen Thi Van's family (Hamlet 1) has converted 2 sao of corn for grain cultivation to harvest plants. Currently, her family is focusing on harvesting, Ms. Van happily said: This year, corn yield is quite good, estimated at 2 tons of corn plants/sao. The price of corn plants purchased by the Australian cattle farm is 900 VND/kg, my family earns 3.6 million/crop; 1.5 times higher than growing corn for grain.

People are busy transporting corn to import to the Australian cattle farm (Nghi Lam).

Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Vice Chairman of Nghi Van Commune People's Committee said: The method of growing corn and selling plants requires less care and brings higher income than selling corn seeds. Therefore, people in the commune are excited to switch to growing and selling corn plants. The area of ​​red corn in the area has expanded to 425 hectares, an increase of 60 hectares compared to last year; revenue is over 15 billion VND/crop.

Nghi Kieu commune is one of the communes with a large area of ​​red corn cultivation and sale, 260 hectares, with an estimated value of over 9 billion VND/crop. Mr. Hoang Dinh Phuong - Chairman of Nghi Kieu Commune People's Committee said: This is a new way of doing things, bringing benefits to farmers in converting crop structure. We will continue to cooperate with the Australian cattle farm in purchasing products for farmers, and at the same time encourage households to expand the corn growing area.

Farmers harvest corn to sell to businesses.

The Australian beef cattle farm in Nghi Lam commune is developing quite rapidly, with a total herd of over 3,000 heads. In addition to purchasing corn products, creating stable output and high economic value for people in the commune and neighboring communes, the Australian beef farm also provides a large amount of manure, creating favorable conditions for farmers in production; reducing investment costs and increasing crop efficiency.

The whole Nghi Loc district has 700 hectares of communes in the western region of the district growing red corn to supply the Australian cattle farm, with revenue reaching over 25 billion VND/crop.

The development of the Australian cattle farm has opened up a new economic development direction for farmers in the semi-mountainous area of ​​Nghi Loc. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang - Head of the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: With the form of harvesting corn to supply the Australian cattle farm, the economic value of red corn has increased nearly 1.5 times compared to growing corn for grain.

The Australian cattle farm’s purchase of corn crops for the people has opened up a path for the district to change the drought-resistant crop structure for the communes in the west of Nghi Loc, a semi-mountainous area that often lacks water for production. This summer-autumn crop, Nghi Loc is planning to convert 400 hectares of land without water to grow corn.

Nguyet Minh - Thu Hien