Growing coriander with bitter melon brings in 140 million/ha

(Baonghean.vn) - Tan Son Commune, Quynh Luu District, Nghe An is a locality with a tradition of producing winter crops. This year, the commune planted coriander and bitter melon, achieving a value of 3 - 4 million VND/sao.

Coriander is harvested while bitter melon is just sprouting leaves. Photo: Hong Dien

Ms. Chu Thi Ly in Hamlet 5, Tan Son Commune, Quynh Luu said: With 2 sao of land specializing in growing vegetables, usually in the winter, the family chooses bitter melon as the main crop. Realizing that the growing period of bitter melon is 3 months, and the harvest period lasts nearly half a year; therefore, she researched and intercropped coriander in the early stages.

After preparing the land, she sowed coriander and bitter melon seeds at the same time. After 1 month, the coriander entered the harvest season, selling for 500 to 1,000 VND/bunch, earning her family 4 million VND/sao. When the coriander could be pulled and sold, it was also the time to set up stakes to make a trellis, spread nets and catch the tops for the bitter melon to climb.

Bitter melon will be harvested after coriander is harvested. Photo: Hong Dien

Up to now, Tan Son commune has had 5 hectares of production in this way, mainly concentrated in hamlets 4, 5 and 6. According to local assessment, the active selection of coriander for intercropping is more effective than all other types of plants. Because coriander is a short-term plant, easy to sell. Families also earn an additional income of 6 - 10 million VND/sao of bitter melon, raising the average total income in winter vegetable growing from 120 - 140 million VND/ha.

Mr. Le Dinh Mai - Director of Tan Son Cooperative said: "During the production process, people have gained a lot of experience, often helping each other from the seed, technique, to product consumption. Intercropping like this not only reduces the work of weeding and soil preparation for longer-term crops, but also brings high economic value."

Red Face