Farmers earn more than 10 billion VND from growing corn for Australian cattle farm

(Baonghean.vn) - In the 2016 early winter crop, Nghi Loc planted 350 hectares of corn. Currently, farmers are entering the harvest season to sell to Australian cattle farms. The estimated yield is 30 tons/ha, with a selling price of 1,000 VND/kg, this early winter crop, Nghi Loc farmers earned over 10 billion VND from selling corn.

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 (also known as biomass corn) for sale to the Australian cattle farm. In particular, Nghi Lam is the locality with the largest biomass corn growing area in the district, with 100 hectares.

Mr. Phan Van Hieu - Chairman of Nghi Lam Commune People's Committee said: "For Nghi Lam Commune, the Australian cattle farm has signed a contract to purchase biomass corn products for farmers. Therefore, last year we only planted in hamlets 4 and 5, with 80 hectares, but this winter crop we expanded to hamlets 12 and 13 to 100 hectares. The estimated corn yield this winter crop is 30 tons/ha. Thus, in the early winter crop of 2016, Nghi Lam farmers earned 3 billion VND from selling biomass corn to the Australian cattle farm."

Ms. Pham Thi Luc in hamlet 14 produced 5 sao of biomass corn, after 75 days earned 7.5 million VND.

According to farmers, growing and selling biomass corn has many “advantages”: shortening the time of each crop because biomass corn only takes 75 days to harvest; higher planting density, higher productivity and no need to worry about output. Growing biomass corn can produce 3 secure crops a year. Compared to growing potatoes and rice in the past, growing biomass corn has doubled the economic efficiency.

Ms. Pham Thi Luc, hamlet 14, Nghi Lam commune, said: “Previously, due to the high land and lack of water control, we could only grow one crop of potatoes per year, which had very low economic efficiency. This year, the locality encouraged us to grow corn, so my family switched to growing 5 sao of corn, estimated to achieve 7.5 tons of corn biomass. This early winter crop, my family earned about 7.5 million VND.

Transport corn to the farm.

Not only Nghi Lam, currently, semi-mountainous communes such as Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu, Nghi My, Nghi Dong, Nghi Hung, Nghi Phong - areas that are often dry and lack water for cultivation have also converted their previous rice fields to corn cultivation for harvesting. On average, each household grows from 2 to 5 sao. The red corn varieties that provide food for cows are CT888, CT919, CT999, CT989... These corn varieties have outstanding advantages such as short growing time (75 days), 1.5 months shorter than grain corn; higher plant density, high biomass yield. In fact, farmers are very responsive to the conversion to corn cultivation to supply the Australian cattle farm.

The Australian beef cattle farm in Nghi Lam commune is developing quite rapidly, with a total herd of over 6,000 heads (an increase of 3,000 heads compared to last year). In addition to purchasing corn products, creating stable output and high economic value for local people, 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.

Processing corn for Australian cattle feed.

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's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: "This early winter crop, Nghi Loc planted 350 hectares of biomass corn. With the form of harvesting corn to supply to the Australian cattle farm, it has opened up a direction for the district to convert the drought-resistant crop structure for the communes in the west of Nghi Loc, the semi-mountainous area often lacking water for production. Therefore, the agricultural sector has promoted the conversion of often arid land areas without proactive water sources to growing biomass corn."

Thu Hien

(Nghi Loc Radio)