Land consolidation and reallocation to facilitate mechanization in the Tan Ky sugarcane growing area.
(Baonghean) - From land preparation and cultivation to harvesting, the sugarcane growing areas of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company have been mechanized. This requires localities to continue consolidating and reallocating land plots to facilitate the introduction of machinery into sugarcane production.
Benefits of harvesting sugarcane with machines
In early December, farmers in Tan Ky district began harvesting sugarcane. Unlike before, this season Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company brought in harvesting machines to serve the farmers. Therefore, sugarcane growers no longer have to wait for laborers to harvest their sugarcane as they did previously.
Excited to see the sugarcane fields being harvested by machine, Mr. Nguyen Ba Quy - Deputy Director of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company - said: "For the 2019-2020 crushing season, the company started purchasing sugarcane from farmers on December 1st. The good news is that since the trial run, the sugarcane harvesting machine has been working well and is suitable for the sugarcane fields in Tan Ky. Therefore, more and more sugarcane growers are registering to have their crops harvested by machine, and even with the machines operating at full capacity, they still can't keep up."
Machine harvesting solves many problems, including addressing the long-standing shortage of sugarcane harvesting labor; minimizing sugarcane losses; and facilitating care for fields where sugarcane is still ratoon. Recognizing these advantages, most households with sugarcane fields of 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) or more have registered for machine harvesting. However, because it's the first trial run, the company has only brought in one machine, so it cannot yet meet the needs of the people.
 |
| Harvesting sugarcane using a machine. Photo: Xuan Hoang |
Hundreds of people, including commune officials and farmers, gathered in the fields to witness the sugarcane harvesting machine firsthand. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Chairman of the Nghia Hoan Commune People's Committee, said that the commune had notified the village secretaries, hamlet leaders, and households with large sugarcane fields to come and see it in person. The majority of the farmers present in the fields witnessed the operation, and also compared the cost of machine harvesting versus manual labor, as well as how impurities are calculated.
However, the farmers believe that the price of 170,000 VND/ton is acceptable, and moreover, harvesting by machine has many advantages compared to harvesting by hand. In addition, to meet the requirements of machine harvesting, sugarcane must be planted in double rows using machinery; therefore, in the coming years, the local authorities will continue to encourage farmers to consolidate land plots and exchange land to facilitate the application of mechanization in sugarcane production.
 |
| Land conversion to create large sugarcane fields yields high efficiency. Photo: Archival material. |
Nghia Phuc commune has a considerable area of sugarcane, so the local government paid close attention when they learned that the company was bringing sugarcane harvesting machines for trial run. Mr. Dang Xuan Nam, Chairman of the Nghia Phuc Commune People's Committee, stated that: For sugarcane harvesting to be successful, it is essential to use machinery. Therefore, in the coming time, the locality will continue to encourage people to consolidate land plots, creating larger fields to facilitate the application of mechanization from land preparation and cultivation to harvesting. Currently, Nghia Phuc has 50 out of 160 hectares of sugarcane planted in concentrated areas, where mechanization is being applied.
Ms. Dang Thi Tinh from Xuan Son hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune, also confirmed: Her family has 3 hectares of ratoon sugarcane from the first crop, which is ready for harvest. After observing the trial run of the harvesting machine, she found that the sugarcane was cut close to the root. In contrast, if harvested manually, the remaining root portion is about 3-5 cm high, which not only reduces yield but also causes the ratoon sugarcane to sprout above ground, compromising its quality. Furthermore, harvesting by machine allows for immediate transportation to the factory, eliminating the need to wait for several days as before.
Video demonstrating the use of pumps in sugarcane production and mechanized sugarcane harvesting.of Song Con Sugar Corporation. Video: Quang An, Technical: Lam Tung
The area of sugarcane cultivation in concentrated areas is not yet large.
Currently, the sugarcane growing area in Tan Ky district has nearly 1,000 hectares planted in large fields in the floodplain communes of Nghia Dong, Nghia Hoan, Giai Xuan, Tan Xuan, Nghia Phuc, etc. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Ba Quy – Deputy Director of Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company, this is still insufficient compared to the actual situation, as these floodplain communes have about 2,000 hectares that could be developed into large fields. Therefore, localities need to continue consolidating land plots to create concentrated sugarcane fields, facilitating the application of mechanization in production. Applying mechanization from land preparation to care and harvesting will help increase sugarcane productivity and reduce labor for farmers.
 |
| Applying mechanization from land preparation to cultivation and harvesting will help increase sugarcane productivity and reduce labor for farmers. Photo: Xuan Hoang |
For the 2019-2020 crushing season, Song Con Sugar Corporation began purchasing sugarcane raw materials for production on December 1st. However, due to the lack of a specific purchase price for sugarcane, the company is currently paying sugarcane growers 780,000 VND/ton (unsorted) until December 15th (at the field), in addition to a support policy of 20,000 VND/ton. After that, the company will apply a specific purchase price, but will apply the maximum price compared to the market price to help sugarcane growers earn additional income.
According to the plan, in the 2020-2021 crop year, Song Con Sugar Company's sugarcane growing area will plant 2,200 hectares of new sugarcane. In addition to applying mechanization to sugarcane production, the company will introduce several new sugarcane varieties such as LK 9211 and SRI 2 in the upcoming crop season. These new varieties have characteristics such as high yield, guaranteed quality, good ratooning ability, and resistance to pests and diseases.
Song Con Sugar Company showcases its 'powerful' machinery in sugarcane production.
(Baonghean.vn) - Song Con Sugar Company has showcased several advanced machines and plans to apply them in sugarcane production and harvesting.
Song Con Sugar Corporation: Responding to the shortage of raw materials
(Baonghean) - Faced with the reality of declining sugarcane acreage due to a sharp drop in sugarcane purchase prices, Song Con Sugarcane Joint Stock Company has focused on solutions to improve the productivity and quality of sugarcane raw materials, in order to ensure the supply of sugarcane raw materials for the factory's operation.