Traders are busy buying frozen potatoes in Nghe An.

In early April, the harvest in the potato fields of Hung Hai commune, Dien Chau district was bustling and bustling. Large baskets of potatoes with neat tubers were quickly loaded onto traders' trucks to be transported everywhere.

According to records from local authorities, the whole commune currently has more than 70 hectares of sweet potatoes, concentrated in villages 2, 4 and 6. This year's potato crop has an average yield of 9-10 quintals/sao. With the selling price ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 VND/kg, each sao of sweet potatoes brings in a revenue of nearly 15 million VND.

Potatoes are planted from the end of the 10th lunar month, people mainly plant the domestic potato and white cotton potato varieties, which have high resistance and are suitable for the local sandy soil. During the care process, people do not encounter too many difficulties thanks to favorable weather, few pests and diseases appear, and irrigation is also convenient because this year has regular rain.

Ms. Pham Thi Buoi, a farmer in village 2, Hung Hai commune, shared: "I have been growing potatoes for nearly ten years now, but I have never seen such even, beautiful tubers and good prices like this year. After 4 months of cultivation, each sao of potatoes brings in an income of nearly 15 million VND. After deducting the investment cost of just over 2 million VND, my family earns a profit of up to 12 million VND/sao."

This year, the consumption of products is fast and favorable. According to the survey, the purchase price at the field fluctuates from 9,000 to 10,000 VND/kg, about 15-20% higher than the same period last year. Many traders have placed orders before the harvest.

Ms. Tran Thi Phon, a long-time agricultural product trader in Hung Hai commune, said: “This year, the potatoes here have beautiful tubers, bright skin, and high quality. I buy dozens of tons each week to bring to the South and the North, mainly to wholesale markets and some processing facilities. The price is high but still easy to sell, there is almost no inventory.”

Currently, most of the potatoes harvested from Hung Hai commune are brought to big markets in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Vinh and some restaurants and hotels order them as ingredients for specialty dishes. A small part is used as seeds for the next crop.

According to calculations by many farmers, the investment cost for each sao of potatoes is more than 2 million VND. The time from planting to harvest is about 4 months. With the current selling price, after deducting costs, growers earn a profit of about 12 million VND/sao. This is a very positive income in the context of increasing prices of agricultural materials.

Hung Hai Commune authorities also play an active role in supporting farmers in production. Ms. Hoang Thi Huyen, an agricultural worker in Hung Hai Commune, said: “From the beginning of the season, we coordinated with specialized agencies to organize training on potato growing techniques, instructions on pest control, post-harvest care and preservation techniques. At the same time, the commune also created favorable conditions for traders to purchase, ensuring that products reach consumers in a timely manner.

In addition to technical support from the government, the Farmers' Association of Hung Hai commune also implemented a policy to support people in borrowing fertilizers with deferred payments, helping people reduce financial pressure at the beginning of the season and feel secure in investing in production.

At the same time, the association also guides people to utilize the small tubers and potato vines after harvest to feed deer - a typical local animal. Utilizing potato by-products not only saves on raising costs but also contributes to building a circular economic model in Hung Hai commune - where deer farming is thriving.

Potatoes are gradually asserting their role in the crop structure in Hung Hai commune thanks to low investment costs, short cultivation time and high economic efficiency. Many farming households are planning to convert land from growing ineffective vegetables to growing potatoes. Some households are also calculating to link up according to the cooperative or production group model to ensure stable output and increase product value.

The successful potato crop not only helps farmers increase their income but also contributes to promoting the conversion of crop structure and building sustainable agriculture for the locality.