The peanut harvest failed in the flood-prone area of Hung Nguyen.
Huy Thu•June 22, 2024 07:25
This peanut harvest has not brought much joy to the people of Chau Nhan commune (Hung Nguyen district), as the crop has failed and yields are low.
Chau Nhan commune is not only famous for its "earthworm land," but also for being the peanut granary of Hung Nguyen district. This peanut crop is harvested later than in other places. In mid-June, people here only begin plowing and harvesting peanuts... Local people mainly use buffaloes and cows to plow the land and use human labor to shake the soil and remove the peanut roots. To avoid the heat, many households work at night, using lamps to shake the peanuts or working from 2-3 am, finishing a morning's peanut harvest by 7-8 am. Photo: Huy ThuAccording to local residents, Chau Nhan commune is often flooded during the rainy season, but the land for peanut cultivation here is still improved for easier production by buying sand and pouring it onto the fields. The peanut variety the people are growing is the lotus peanut, which the locals have saved from the previous season. Photo: Huy ThuBecause the work is done manually and primarily by human labor, harvesting peanuts in Chau Nhan commune often takes a long time. Each plot of land, if there are few laborers, can take several days to harvest. Farmers plow and pull up the peanuts sequentially, plot by plot, keeping each section tidy as they go. (Photo: Huy Thu)Mr. Vo Van Que, a major peanut farmer in Phu Xuan hamlet, Chau Nhan commune, said: "This year, the peanut crop is poor, with few and shriveled peanuts. My family planted 6 sao (approximately 0.6 hectares) of peanuts. Last year, we got 50 bags of dried peanuts (about 1.2 - 1.3 tons), but this season, after drying and packaging, we only got 20 bags." (Photo: Huy Thu)After harvesting peanuts, people in Chau Nhan commune usually plant various types of beans (mung beans, black beans) and sesame. Based on years of experience, before plowing the peanut fields, they sow the bean seeds. Once the peanuts are harvested, they simply use buffaloes or oxen to harrow the land, leveling it and clearing the weeds. The next day, if it rains, the beans and sesame will grow lush and green. (Photo: Huy Thu)To separate the peanuts from their roots, locals often beat the roots against the sides of ox carts, wooden boxes with mesh netting at the back (like containers for collecting worms), or wooden planks placed on top of barrels. After beating, they pack the peanuts into bags and take them home to dry. Mr. Cao Xuan Toan from Phu Xuan hamlet, Chau Nhan commune, said: "This year's peanut crop is poor, not as good as last year. My family cultivates 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of peanuts; last year we got about 5-6 quintals of dried peanuts, but this year, due to the crop failure, we'll only get 3-4 quintals at most." Photo: Huy ThuMr. Vo Tien, head of Phu Xuan hamlet, Chau Nhan commune, said: This year, the hamlet has about 18 hectares of peanuts, mainly hybrid and upright varieties. The area has decreased significantly compared to previous years because people have switched to growing corn. During the peanut season, people usually harvest, dry, and sell them to traders, rather than selling fresh peanuts like in other places. Photo: Huy ThuAfter harvesting, some households spread tarpaulins on the fields to dry the peanuts. Usually, after the peanuts have dried in the sun for one day, the farmers will sift the soil to clean them. Photo: Huy ThuChau Nhan commune has many hamlets that grow peanuts, but they are mainly concentrated in hamlets 7, 8, 9, Phu Xuan... each hamlet has several tens of hectares. During the peanut harvest season, peanuts are spread out to dry on the village roads. According to the locals, in strong sunshine, fresh peanuts need to be dried for 3-4 days. Photo: Huy ThuMr. Nguyen Cong Hoan, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Chau Nhan commune, added: "This peanut crop, the whole commune has more than 100 hectares of peanuts, but the crop failed, resulting in low yields. In my opinion, the crop failure is due to several reasons: Firstly, the old peanut variety has degenerated; secondly, the planting method is not properly rotated, peanuts are planted continuously; and thirdly, the weather is unfavorable..." Currently, the price of dried peanuts in the locality is fluctuating from 34,000 to 38,000 VND/kg. Many households have dried their peanuts but have not yet found buyers. Photo: Huy ThuPeanut harvesting in Chau Nhan commune. Video: An Nam
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