Farmers in Nghe An are racing against the prolonged heatwave to save their tea plants.
Huy Thu•June 21, 2024 15:02
These days, tea growers in Thanh Chuong are actively watering their tea plants to save them. Water pumps are operating day and night to keep the soil moist and prevent the tea plants from "burning".
For several days now, with no rain, tea growers in Thanh Chuong are actively watering the tea hills, which are producing their third crop of buds this year, to maintain moisture and prevent scorching during the peak of the hot season. Photo: Huy ThuAlong with using old generators and water pumps from previous years, some households have purchased additional tools and equipment to serve the tea irrigation needs. Tea gardens located far from water sources, on high hills, etc., will be difficult and costly to irrigate. Photo: Huy ThuBecause tea growers in Thanh Chuong have to irrigate their tea plants every dry season, many households have installed fixed water pipes in their gardens. Some families haven't been able to install pipes yet and have to lay plastic pipes whenever they irrigate. Photo: Huy ThuThe use of sprinkler irrigation for tea plants is becoming increasingly popular due to its advantages of even watering and water conservation. To ensure the sprinklers stand firmly, farmers have to drive stakes into the middle of the tea fields. At this time, most of the tea plantations in Thanh Chuong have harvested their second crop of buds this year, and farmers are tending to their plants, weeding, and fertilizing when they are faced with drought. Photo: Huy ThuMr. Nguyen Canh Nom, residing in An Ngoc hamlet, Thanh An commune, said: "My family cultivates 1 hectare of tea, with pipelines already installed and a 24-horsepower water pump. However, irrigating the tea plants is still quite difficult, especially moving and assembling the pump... Every dry season, tea growers worry, lose sleep, and waste both time and money," Mr. Nom said. (Photo: Huy Thu)Currently, people in tea-growing communes are using water from ponds, streams, and wells to irrigate their tea plants. To transport the pumps, they often put them on ox carts and pull them to the edge of the pond or stream. When not in use, they can pull them back home. Some households have installed fixed pumps in the ditches connected to the irrigation system in the tea fields. In areas where electricity is available, people use motors to pump water quite conveniently. In areas without electricity, they are forced to use generators. Photo: Huy ThuWhen irrigating tea plants with sprinklers, farmers typically move the sprinkler heads every 2-3 hours (depending on soil dryness). For households that irrigate overnight, everyone has to stay up to move the sprinkler heads. Photo: Huy ThuMr. Nguyen Canh Hoa (53 years old) from Thuong Lam hamlet, Thanh An commune, shared: His family cultivates 2 hectares of tea, and they have purchased 2 water pumps (1 motor and 1 generator), 10 sprinkler heads, and nearly 600 meters of pipes. Each irrigation costs about 10 million VND in fuel and electricity. Although it's expensive, they have to irrigate; otherwise, the tea plants will burn and die, resulting in even greater losses. Photo: Huy ThuFor tea gardens located on high hills, irrigation is difficult and costly. In recent days, the hot weather has left many tea plantations unwatered, the soil around the roots has dried out, and the tea leaves have turned yellow. If the sunny weather continues in the coming days, the unwatered tea plantations on the high hills risk scorching. (Photo: Huy Thư)Tea gardens near ponds, lakes, and irrigation canals are quite convenient for watering, with abundant water sources and free-flowing pipes. Nguyen Dinh Trong, an experienced tea grower in Thuy Hoa village, Thanh Thuy commune, shared: "In hot weather, you shouldn't water the tea plants too early; improper watering can even kill them. Late afternoon and night are the best times to water. When watering, water thoroughly in the areas you water. The more water you water, the better, but it's quite expensive in terms of fuel." (Photo: Huy Thu)During peak hot weather days, tea growers in Thanh Chuong mobilize manpower and resources to actively water their tea plants promptly. This is one of the effective and practical measures to save the tea plants, contributing to ensuring the yield of the main tea crops and minimizing damage caused by scorching and dying tea plants due to the sun. Photo: Huy ThuThese "rain" showers save tea plants during hot weather. Video: Huy Thu
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