Mountainous commune earns hundreds of millions from growing new sweet potato varieties

Many people harvest potatoes in Tien Thanh commune. Photo: Xuan Thuy

The potato growing model in Tien Thanh commune has been implemented since November 2017 with about 25 hectares, with the commune supporting seeds and 30% fertilizer. Currently, people in the commune have started harvesting, showing good yields.

Mr. Le Van Quan (born in 1985), residing in Tan Yen B hamlet, Tien Thanh commune, planted nearly 2 hectares of potatoes. He said: "This is the first Japanese potato variety (Gia Bao potato - PV) that the commune has brought back for testing to replace rice. The potato has high yield and good resistance to pests and diseases."

It is known that after harvesting, potatoes are packaged according to grade 1 and grade 2 standards, then purchased by traders right in the field. The wholesale price of grade 1 is 9,000 VND/kg, grade 2 is 5,000 VND/kg; retail price is 15,000 VND/kg.

Growing Japanese sweet potatoes brings quite good economic efficiency to people in the mountainous commune of Tien Thanh. Photo: Ho Phuong

"As soon as the potatoes are harvested, traders come to buy them on the spot, so people are very excited. In fact, the economic value of sweet potatoes is 3-4 times higher than that of rice," Mr. Quan added.

Sharing about taking care of potato seeds to ensure productivity, Mr. Quan said that taking care of potato seeds is quite meticulous, especially fertilizing; if there is too little, the potato plants will not grow well, and if there is too much, the quality of the harvested potatoes will not be guaranteed.

With 2 hectares of harvest, Mr. Quan's family harvested more than 17 tons of potatoes (of which more than 10 tons were grade 1 potatoes); excluding the cost of hiring 20 workers (160,000 VND/person/day), his family earned nearly 130 million VND in this first potato season.

Gia Bao potato variety is bringing a new direction for people in mountainous communes. Photo: Xuan Thuy

Also a family registered to test growing Japanese potatoes, Ms. Ta Thi Tan (born 1978) in Yen Vien hamlet happily said that her family has nearly 0.5 hectares of rice land but has never had enough to eat. In the year of testing growing Japanese potatoes, although not all of them have been harvested, they have earned tens of millions of dong, much more than growing rice.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Dai - Chairman of Tien Thanh Commune People's Committee said that currently, in Tien Thanh Commune, rice cultivation is not very effective and lacks sustainability. To develop the farming industry, the commune has sought other plant varieties that bring higher economic efficiency.

“Recently, the commune contacted Gia Bao potato seed supplier to support people in planting this potato variety. Initially, the potato variety has brought economic benefits 3-4 times higher, and is much more valuable than rice,” said Mr. Dai.

After harvesting, potatoes are purchased right in the field. Photo: Ho Phuong