Peanut harvest, price increase, Nghe An farmers excited

In the 2023 spring peanut crop, Ms. Ho Thi Huu's family in Tho Dong hamlet, Quynh Tho commune, Quynh Luu planted 9 sao of peanuts of L14 and L18 varieties. According to Ms. Huu, peanuts are easy to grow, do not require much care, and have a growing period of 110 - 120 days. At the same time, she covered 100% of the peanut growing area with plastic, which brought many outstanding advantages such as high germination rate, reduced weeding work, and only needed to fertilize once.

Thanks to that, the plants grow well, the peanuts are firm and even, white and beautiful, and the yield is high. One sao of peanuts of Mrs. Huu's family has a yield of 3.5 - 4 quintals, and after harvesting it is expected to yield over 3.5 tons of fresh peanuts and over 1.5 tons if dried. At this time, traders buy fresh peanuts at 17,000 VND/kg, it is estimated that after deducting costs, the family will earn a profit of over 3 million VND/sao.

Quynh Luu farmers harvest spring peanuts. Photo: Hong Dien

Currently, the harvest atmosphere in the fields of localities with large peanut production areas such as Quynh Tho, Quynh Bang, Quynh Thuan, Quynh Dien... is very urgent and bustling. The joy and excitement are clearly visible on the faces of farmers, because of a peanut crop with favorable weather, a good harvest, and good prices.

This year, fresh peanuts sold right at the field are priced at 16,000 to 17,500 VND/kg, 2,000 to 7,500 VND/kg higher than the same period last year. Dried peanuts are priced at 37,000 to 40,000 VND/kg and peanut kernels are priced at 60,000 VND/kg. According to peanut growers, these prices have reached record highs not seen in decades.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Son - agricultural officer of Quynh Tho commune said: The coastal commune of Quynh Tho is a locality with a tradition of producing peanuts on a large area for many years. In the spring crop of 2023 alone, the whole commune has 70 hectares of peanuts. People produce under conditions of guaranteed seed sources, planting on schedule, applying care techniques along with favorable weather, especially at the flowering and rooting stages. Thanks to that, the average yield of 1 hectare of peanuts is estimated at 60 quintals, 15% higher than last year.

This year, purchasing power has increased so much that farmers are able to harvest peanuts right in the fields. In addition to selling fresh peanuts, some local households choose to dry them to sell year-round.

Households dry peanuts right in the field after harvesting. Photo: Hong Dien

Quynh Bang commune has 127 hectares of spring peanuts. This is also the locality with the largest annual peanut growing area in Quynh Luu district. According to Mr. Vu Van Duong - Chairman of Quynh Bang Commune People's Committee: This production season, thanks to favorable weather, the peanut area in the area has developed well. The commune's fresh peanut output is expected to reach 60 quintals/ha, with a value of more than 100 million VND, double that of the spring crop in 2022. This year's peanuts have firm tubers and sell for a good price, so farmers are very excited and about 10 days from now will be the time for simultaneous harvest in all fields.

This spring crop, the entire Quynh Luu district produced peanuts on an area of ​​846 hectares, and at present, households have harvested 35-40% of the area. Taking advantage of the high selling price and strong market consumption, laborers in some localities have proactively formed groups to help each other harvest peanuts, in order to speed up the harvest and ensure the plan and progress of planting summer-autumn vegetables.

This spring crop, Dien Chau planted 3,000 hectares of spring peanuts, of which 700 hectares were harvested and sold as fresh tubers, equivalent to nearly 2,500 tons. The advantage of selling fresh peanuts is not only the good price but also saves farmers a lot of work in selecting peanuts, drying and preserving.

Dien Chau farmers harvest spring peanuts. Photo: Mai Giang

To ensure the season, before harvesting spring peanuts, farmers sow summer-autumn sesame on the peanuts. When farmers pull out the peanuts, the sesame will fall to the roots of the pulled peanuts and be covered with soil. This method not only helps farmers save on plowing but also takes advantage of the soil's moisture. Along with sowing sesame, taking advantage of the early released land, farmers in the colored areas sow early the summer-autumn melon and vegetable crops.

It is expected that by mid-May, Dien Chau farmers will have harvested 100% of the spring peanut crop and completed the summer-autumn sesame planting. In 2023, Nghe An strives to produce 9,500 hectares of peanuts, of which Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu districts... are the key production areas of this crop.

Hong Dien - Mai Giang