Winter crop production in Do Luong: Difficult work, good income

Early in the morning, Ms. Nguyen Kim Thanh in Thuat Ly village, Thuan Son commune, Do Luong district was already in the field. This winter, her family planted 3 sao of vegetables and fruit trees.

The beds where she grows vegetables have brought in a good income, because she has had many years of experience in growing vegetables to get the shoots and fruits. Ms. Thanh said: "Every year in the winter crop in Thuan Son commune, we grow squash, then cucumbers and green beans, and in general, the income is quite good. This winter crop, my family planted 2 sao of vegetables and 1 sao of cucumbers. We just harvested vegetables and sold them at the market for 10,000 VND/bunch, and fruits for 10,000 VND/kg. The harvest price is good, so I am very excited."

However, Ms. Thanh does not plant more land because of high income, because according to her, her family and other households that plant more land easily lose prices, and the time to harvest and sell at the market is not enough. According to the experience of people in Thuan Son commune in productionwinter cropthat is "look at the goods at the market to plant trees", meaning whatever goods are lacking or in short supply at the market, people will plant them to sell.

Vegetables and fruits are selling well in Do Luong. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

The current winter crop planting movement in Thuan Son commune in particular and many other communes in Do Luong district such as Trung Son, Luu Son, Nam Son, Dai Son, Trang Son, Dang Son... is developing strongly.

In Trung Son commune, the whole commune has 163 hectares of winter crops, of which corn is 110 hectares, squash - pumpkin is 20.5 hectares, cucumber - watermelon is 9.5 hectares, the remaining area is for growing vegetables and snow peas. The highlight of this year's winter crop production in Trung Son commune is the focus on winter vegetables with short seasons, many batches, and many high-quality vegetable varieties such as: squash, snow peas, tops, and cucumber.

Particularly in hamlet 3, priority is given to the production of vegetable seedlings of all kinds to supply the markets of mountainous districts of Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong, Anh Son,Con Cuong.

Mr. Doan Van Canh - a local resident said: "This year's winter crop is difficult to grow but the income is quite good, for example, squash is currently 15,000 VND/kg, fruit is also 10,000 VND/kg, cucumber is 10,000 VND/kg. I see that this year's winter crop is very good. Now people are very experienced in growing winter crops, low-lying areas that are easily flooded when it rains will not be planted there."

Green squash is also in high price due to heavy rain and floods this year. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

To achieve results in winter crop production, Do Luong district has always been proactive in building early and specific production plans that are close to the actual conditions in each locality. Steering committee members are assigned to closely follow the hamlets.

As for vegetables and fruit trees of all kinds, it is necessary to base on the land, market demand and farming experience to plant appropriate vegetables and beans. In particular, focus on high-quality vegetables to increase economic efficiency, planting in many batches.

Comrade Tran Danh Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Luu Son commune said: "Up to now, the winter crop area in Luu Son has reached 70 hectares of winter crop on 2-rice land that has been produced and harvested. The results show that 1 sao is estimated to earn 60 to 70 million VND in income."

Winter crop fields in Luu Son commune (Do Luong) are always green. Photo: LNP

This winter crop, the entire Do Luong district planted 3,300 hectares of various crops, of which corn was over 1,700 hectares, the remaining area was used to grow vegetables, beans, peanuts, squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and some other crops. The district focused all resources on investing in developing commodity-oriented production, with high economic efficiency, increasing production value.

Mr. Le Van Chien - Deputy Director of the Agricultural Service Center of Do Luong district added: "The winter crop in Do Luong has become a traditional crop, because the production efficiency on 2-rice land is 3 to 5 times higher than that of rice cultivation. This year, the Center has also conducted propaganda to help people promote winter crop production. Up to now, many winter crop areas of some communes have yielded very good harvests."

To successfully produce the winter crop, Do Luong district previously requested communes to consider the specific conditions of each locality, each region and the development of the crop.floodsfor localities to consider and calculate a planting plan close to the actual situation, both minimizing damage caused by floods and ensuring high productivity and not affecting the 2021 spring crop planting plan.