Growing drought-resistant sticky corn earns 250 billion VND/year

(Baongheann.vn) -Glutinous corn grown in Nghi Loc (Nghe An) has become a high-income commercial crop.Each year, corn yields 2 to 3 crops, with revenue reaching 250 billion VND/year.

Ms. Ha Thi Kiem in Hamlet 11, Nghi My Commune grows sticky corn on 2 sao of high-yield rice fields. She said: "Usually, I sell big, beautiful corns at the field for 3,500 VND/corn, and buy them at the same price for about 2,500 VND/corn. After deducting the cost of fertilizer, seeds, and production costs, 2 sao of sticky corn brings in 10 million VND/crop. The yield is 2.5 times higher than that of rice cultivation."

Ms. Ha Thi Kiem in hamlet 11, Nghi My commune harvests sticky corn to sell to traders.

Nghi Long Commune is one of the localities with a relatively large area of ​​commercial glutinous corn cultivation, with an area of ​​30 hectares, estimated value of over 2.8 billion VND/crop. Mr. Nguyen Tu Ngoc, Vice Chairman of Nghi Long Commune People's Committee said: "This is an economic development direction that brings high economic efficiency to farmers. Therefore, people in the commune are excited to switch to commercial glutinous corn cultivation."

Nghi Loc sticky corn is a specialty dish for tourists when coming to Cua Lo and Vinh City. This spring crop, the whole district planted 800 hectares, an increase of 200 hectares compared to the spring crop in 2015. Harvested right in the Cua Lo beach tourist season, the number of customers consuming is high and this is also a channel to promote Nghi Loc sticky corn.

MX10 corn variety gives high yield in Nghi Loc.

The main varieties of waxy corn grown by Nghi Loc farmers this spring are MX2; MX4; MX10; W44. These are potential, high-yielding waxy corn varieties with many advantages such as: large ears, soft kernels, and full kernels on the cob that are even from the inside out.

The growing period is short (about 70-80 days), 40 days shorter than growing red corn for grain. With a total area of ​​800 hectares, after deducting the cost of fertilizer, seeds, and care, this spring crop Nghi Loc earned nearly 100 billion VND from growing commercial glutinous corn.

Glutinous corn grown in Nghi Loc soil is both sticky and has a sweet aroma, so it is favored by markets inside and outside the district. Therefore, when the harvest season comes, traders from everywhere come to the fields to choose and buy.

Some families import corn themselves to markets in Vinh city at a higher price of 3,500 to 4,000 VND/cob.

Sticky corn is also the main ingredient to make delicious sticky rice - a familiar dish of the people.

The glutinous corn area of ​​Nghi Loc is mainly concentrated in many communes such as: Nghi My, Nghi Truong, Nghi Thinh, Nghi Hop, Nghi Khanh, Nghi Long, Nghi Phong, Nghi Trung, Nghi Xa.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang - Head of the district's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: This year's glutinous corn yield in Nghi Loc averages 18 tons of fresh corn/ha, 1 to 1.5 tons/ha higher than the 2015 spring crop. We are currently instructing people to harvest spring corn while preparing the land to continue growing glutinous corn in the summer-autumn crop. At the same time, convert 400 hectares of rice land without water to grow summer-autumn corn.

Thu Hien

Nghi Loc Station