Lily growers in Nam Dan “cry” because of total loss after storm number 3
(Baonghean.vn) - At the beginning of this year's jasmine harvest, farmers in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district earned millions of dong per day. However, after storm No. 3, 50/65 hectares of jasmine in the area withered and died. People had to "pick up" flowers to sell, to salvage some of their income.
Coming to Nam Anh commune - the "flower barn" of Nam Dan district, these days there are no longer green fields of jasmine flowers, instead there are rows of withered jasmine flowers left after storm No. 3.
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| Jasmine fields before and after storm No. 3 made landfall. Photo: Quang An |
That is also the common situation of hundreds of households growing lilies here. Mr. Nguyen Van Nhuan in Hamlet 7, Nam Anh Commune lamented: "My family has more than 3 sao of lilies, which were ready for harvest at the end of June, but after only 4 harvests, heavy rain and storm No. 3 damaged 90% of the area. Now we can only go to the fields to "pick" flowers to earn a little extra money...".
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| Most of the jasmine flower fields in Nam Anh commune have yellow leaves and are damaged; each household has lost tens of millions of dong. Photo: Quang An |
Not only were the lilies severely damaged, but the price they were buying from traders also dropped. Before the storm, each kilogram of lilies was sold for up to 40,000 VND, but now traders are only buying them for about 20,000 VND/kg.
Nam Anh is the commune with the longest tradition of growing jasmine in Nam Dan, and also the commune with the largest jasmine growing area in the district, with more than 65 hectares. July - August is the time when jasmine flowers are harvested in full force. However, this year, storms and rains caused most of the jasmine growing area in the area to be flooded; after the water receded, the leaves of the plants turned yellow, gradually wilted, and the roots rotted.
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| Jasmine fields in Nam Anh commune withered after rain and storm No. 3. Photo: Thuy Tinh |
Mr. Nguyen Van Nam - Head of the Agriculture Department of Nam Anh commune said: "After the recent flood, the commune suffered damage to more than 100 hectares of crops, of which 65 hectares of jasmine (the crop that brings the highest income) were damaged, with about 50 hectares damaged. Each family lost tens of millions of dong."
Currently, Nam Anh commune is directing people to continue taking care of over 10 hectares of jasmine trees in high fields with little flooding, which are still growing and ready for harvest.
The area of lily trees flooded by local authorities directed people to remove them and improve the soil, grow short-term vegetables to supply the market.
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| After the storm, jasmine flowers could not be restored, so some households had to remove them to make room for other crops. Photo: Quang An |
The entire Nam Dan district has more than 120 hectares of jasmine flowers, concentrated in the communes of Nam Anh, Nam Xuan, Nam Kim... However, up to 70% of the area was completely damaged after the recent storm, causing heavy losses for the people because this is the time when jasmine flowers are just starting to be harvested./.