Growing sweet potatoes as a clean vegetable can generate huge income.

(Baonghean.vn) - Besides sweet potato cultivation for tubers, seizing consumer demand, farmers in Nghi Loc (Nghe An) have developed specialized sweet potato cultivation areas to harvest the shoots and leaves for use as clean vegetables, generating substantial income.

Farmers in Nghi Loc district have developed a sweet potato cultivation program that harvests leaves and shoots for sale as clean vegetables, supplying the market in Vinh City and neighboring districts.

Sweet potato plants grown for their shoots and leaves can be harvested about a month after planting. The vegetables can be harvested continuously for about 4-5 months before needing to be cleared and replanted. Based on observations from farmers, an average of 1,000 square meters (1 sao) of sweet potato plants grown for their shoots and leaves can generate an average income of approximately 15 million VND per year. Notably, sweet potato shoots are highly sought after in the market, resulting in a constant supply shortage.

Currently, farmers in the communes of Nghi Long, Nghi Thinh, Nghi Xuan, Nghi Thach, Nghi Truong, Nghi Thuan, etc., are cultivating over 110 hectares of sweet potatoes in the 2016 winter crop, an increase of nearly 50 hectares compared to last year.

This winter, Ms. Le Thi Phuong's family in Hamlet 16, Nghi Long commune, cultivated nearly 2 sao (approximately 0.2 hectares) of sweet potatoes. 50% of the area was planted for harvesting the shoots to sell to the market, while the remaining area was planted with Japanese sweet potato varieties for the tubers. Ms. Phuong said: "Sweet potatoes are very easy to grow. All you need to do is plow and loosen the soil, then create raised beds, and the potatoes will grow well, yielding high productivity and quality. Besides, the market is guaranteed, they sell at a good price, and they don't require much care. This year, after harvesting only 1 sao of sweet potato shoots in 4 months, my family has already earned over 7 million VND. The best part is that traders come directly to our house to buy the harvested vegetables, so we don't have to go out to sell them."

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Currently, Nghi Loc district has over 110 hectares of sweet potatoes, with 50% of the area planted for their leaves and shoots to be used as clean vegetables.

Mr. Dong Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Nghi Loc district, said: "Sweet potatoes are very suitable for the soil in Nghi Loc. This crop is not susceptible to many pests and diseases, and the cultivation techniques are simple, so anyone can grow them. Moreover, the harvest usually coincides with Tet (Lunar New Year), the selling price is high, and the storage time is long. Therefore, expanding the sweet potato cultivation area is a direction chosen by many farmers in the localities. However, if increasing the area, farmers need businesses or organizations and individuals to connect with them and create a stable market outlet."

Hong Vinh