Carrot prices soar, farmers in the coastal areas of Nghe An province joyfully welcome the early spring.

In the concentrated carrot-growing areas of Quynh Anh commune and Quynh Mai ward, the once lush green fields have now turned brown with freshly turned soil. People are harvesting, gathering, and transporting the carrots... Best of all, the price of carrots is higher this Tet holiday season than last year.

Ms. Ho Thi Tam, from Dong Tam village, Quynh Anh commune, said that her family planted one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of carrots and, along with other villagers, harvested them simultaneously on the 27th day of the Lunar New Year to sell to the market. Thanks to favorable weather and the application of proper techniques, this year's carrots developed uniformly, with large, beautiful roots, yielding about 2.3 tons per sao.

Even more encouraging, the selling price is also high, at 10,000 VND/kg, an increase compared to previous seasons. Overall, with one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of carrots, Mrs. Tam's family earned over 20 million VND in the days leading up to Tet, contributing to a prosperous and fulfilling Tet holiday and providing further motivation for the new year's production.

According to local farmers, carrots are a reliable winter crop, with a short growing season of 3-3.5 months, suitable for sandy soil conditions along the riverbanks. Importantly, the harvest coincides with the end of the year, ensuring a favorable market. "The closer it gets to Tet (Lunar New Year), the more traders come. Some days we can't harvest fast enough to meet demand," one farmer shared.

Mr. Ho Dang Tam, Director of Quynh Bang General Agricultural Cooperative, said that this year's winter crop saw the cooperative cultivate over 70 hectares of carrots in the coastal area. Thanks to favorable weather conditions and minimal heavy rain at the end of the season, the carrots grew well, producing large, uniform roots and yielding high productivity.

Particularly during the period leading up to the Lunar New Year, market demand increases sharply, so traders buy carrots at prices ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 VND/kg. With an average yield of about 50 tons/ha, each hectare of carrots brings in revenue of over 400 million VND. Compared to many other vegetables in this winter season, carrots are currently the most economically efficient crop, bringing joy to farmers as they approach the Tet holiday.

"At this price, after deducting costs for seeds, fertilizers, labor, etc., each hectare of carrots yields a profit of over 200 million VND. This is an important source of income that helps many farmers have more resources to prepare for Tet (Lunar New Year) and invest in production for the next season," Mr. Ho Dang Tam shared.

Quynh Mai ward currently has over 350 hectares of various vegetables, including nearly 80 hectares of carrots planted this winter. Because most of the area was harvested almost a month ago to ensure early consumption, only a few carrot fields remain to be harvested sporadically as Tet approaches. According to the farmers, even though the harvest was earlier, the price of carrots was quite high beforehand, ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 VND/kg.

Unlike many other crops, carrots need to be harvested quickly once they are ready, to avoid them becoming too old or being exposed to prolonged rain, which would affect their quality. Therefore, these days, many families are mobilizing maximum manpower, even hiring additional seasonal workers to meet deadlines.

Not only are farmers busy, but purchasing agents are also operating at full capacity. Trucks from the northern and central provinces are constantly arriving in the coastal areas of Nghe An to buy not only carrots, but also various other vegetables and fruits. After sorting, the carrots are immediately bagged in the fields, minimizing damage and ensuring freshness during long-distance transportation.

Carrots are one of the main winter crops in the coastal areas of Nghe An province, contributing to increasing agricultural production value per unit area. The development of specialized cultivation areas, the application of advanced techniques, and the establishment of consumption linkages have helped carrots gradually assert their position, bringing stable income to farmers.

Trucks loaded with carrots leave the fields in the final days of the year, carrying not only agricultural products to all corners of the country, but also joy and hope for a prosperous Tet holiday. In the fields that have just been harvested, farmers have already begun planning for the new production season.