Dozens of hectares of biomass corn in Con Cuong withered, leaving the fields white.
(Baonghean.vn) - Nearly 100 hectares of biomass corn of farmers in Con Cuong district are in the harvest season and have withered, many corn areas have turned silvery white, due to the recent prolonged rain; causing many households to suffer heavy crop losses.
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| Corn biomass in Bong Khe commune is ready for harvest, but due to long-term rain and flooding, many areas have dried up. Photo: Ba Hau |
This year is the 5th year that Mr. Phan Hong Minh's family in Hamlet 2/9, Bong Khe Commune has grown biomass corn, with nearly 9 sao of corn, and an investment cost of more than 10 million VND. After the recent heavy rain, the entire corn field, which was entering the harvest period, was deeply submerged in water. When the sun rose and the water receded, most of the corn was withered.
Looking at his family's corn field withering right at the time of harvest, Mr. Minh sighed: "Last year, with nearly 9 sao of corn, my family harvested over 20 million VND, after deducting expenses, we made a profit of 10 million VND/crop. This year, corn yield decreased due to prolonged drought, along with the impact of floods and rains, so much corn was damaged, so only over 2 sao can salvage about 4 tons. With the current selling price of 700 VND/kg, the harvest is not enough to pay for tractor rental, fertilizer...; this crop is considered a total loss."
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| People in Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong) try to salvage corn harvest after the storm. Photo: Minh Hanh |
Sharing the same situation, Ms. Dang Thi Minh, also from Hamlet 2/9, said: "My family has nearly 1 hectare but this crop only yielded more than 4 tons. Adding the cost of renting a tractor to transport corn from the field to the collection point, the cost of hiring workers, seeds, fertilizer... my family suffered a loss of more than 20 million VND in this corn crop."
Bong Khe commune is considered the largest corn granary of Con Cuong district. The commune has been shifting from growing corn for grain to growing corn for biomass for the past 6 years with a total area of over 100 hectares; concentrated in hamlet 2/9 and hamlet Vinh Hoan.
According to calculations by households, on average each sao of biomass corn yields about 3 tons, with an average price of 700 thousand VND/ton. After deducting costs, farmers earn about 2 million VND/sao, higher than growing corn for grain before. Farmers here grow biomass corn 3 crops/year because this is an alluvial land along the Lam River, so the corn crop planted from August (solar calendar) will be flooded.
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| With the current selling price of 700,000 VND/ton of biomass corn, many corn-growing households in Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong) are suffering losses. Photo: Ba Hau |
Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang - Chairman of Bong Khe Commune People's Committee said that in recent years, thanks to the conversion to biomass corn cultivation, people's lives have improved a lot. Biomass corn can be harvested after only 4 months. Farmers sell raw materials to TH Factory so the output is quite stable.
This year, due to early floods and prolonged rains, the Lam River rose and caused flooding, affecting corn yield and production. Of the total 100 hectares of corn in the commune, only 1/3 of the area can be harvested. The commune is currently inspecting and counting the damage to report to the authorities and propose support plans for the people"./.