“3 together” with sugarcane growers
Mr. Nguyen Dang Khoa, an agricultural extension officer of Son Duong district, remembers each sugarcane area and sugarcane variety of sugarcane growing households in Chi Thiet and Hao Phu communes. Mr. Khoa shared that the reason he remembers the exact sugarcane area of each household is because he and the district officials, Chi Thiet and Hao Phu communes implemented "3 together" (planting together, providing technical guidance together, harvesting together) with the people.
In the period of 2019 - 2021, the price of raw sugarcane has decreased, however, sugarcane is still the most sustainable crop today, when the processing factory is located right in the district, the company will buy sugarcane wherever people harvest. For that reason, Son Duong district has focused on all solutions to quickly restore the raw material area. According to Mr. Khoa, all agricultural extension staff from the district to the commune like him have joined in supporting farmers in harvesting and planting sugarcane.
After 3 years of abandoning sugarcane cultivation, Mr. Hoang Van Ngoan's family in Khan Cau village, Chi Thiet commune (Son Duong) has returned to sugarcane. Mr. Ngoan happily said that his family received support from district and commune agricultural extension officers for seeds, fertilizers, and planting techniques, so growing sugarcane was relatively easy. This year, with favorable rains, the sugarcane grew very well, and by the end of 2024, his family will have an income of hundreds of millions of dong - Mr. Ngoan expected.
Agricultural extension officers of Son Duong district guide people in Chi Thiet commune (Son Duong) to prevent thrips from damaging raw sugarcane.
Bordering Chi Thiet commune, Hao Phu commune's staff also accompanies the people in developing sugarcane material areas. According to Hao Phu commune leaders, in February and March, sugarcane is planted, supporting people to speed up the sugarcane planting process. On weekends, 100% of commune staff go to the fields to join the people in planting sugarcane. Hao Phu commune assigns agricultural extension officers to closely follow the fields, monitor the development of pests and diseases, and instruct people on how to prevent them.
Mr. Vu Van Tam, Dong Tam village, Hao Phu commune happily said that fortunately, the commune cadres helped his family, so the sugarcane planting was right on schedule. This year, Mr. Tam's family planted 0.5 hectares, next year, when they have the land and seeds, they will expand the entire area of the fields and gardens, estimated to reach 1 hectare of sugarcane.
According to the report of the People's Committee of Son Duong district, since the beginning of the year, the whole district has developed 370 hectares of sugarcane, exceeding the assigned plan by 80 hectares, bringing the total sugarcane area in the district to nearly 1,000 hectares. Localities with large new planting areas include: Hao Phu, Tam Da, Chi Thiet, Dong Loi... The district directed localities to continue to propagate and mobilize people to develop and expand sugarcane material areas. Because compared to many other crops, sugarcane is still the most traditional and sustainable crop when the processing factory is located right in the area.
Mr. Nguy Nhu Tien Dung, Deputy Director of Son Duong Sugarcane Joint Stock Company, said that to reassure people about growing sugarcane, the company has adjusted the price of purchasing raw materials. From October 2023, the company has adjusted the price of purchasing raw sugarcane from 1.05 million VND/ton to 1.3 million VND/ton, an increase of 250 thousand VND/ton; sugarcane seeds have been adjusted to over 1.4 million VND/ton. The price of raw sugarcane and the capital support levels for investment for sugarcane growers have also increased, in which the company supports 45 million VND/ha for new planting and replanting of sugarcane; and 25 million VND/ha for sugarcane with remaining roots. Since the beginning of the year, the company has invested 33 billion VND and over 6,000 tons of biofertilizer, not to mention a large amount of sugarcane seeds, machinery and equipment to support land preparation to promptly meet the needs of people developing sugarcane material areas.
Officials of Hao Phu commune (Son Duong) support people in planting sugarcane seeds.
Strengthening investment incentive policies, farmers have become more interested in sugarcane. At the end of 2023, according to a survey by the company and localities, about 400 hectares were registered for new planting, but up to now, 800 hectares of sugarcane have been planted, exceeding the plan by 200%, replanting over 240 hectares, bringing the total sugarcane area in the province to over 2,500 hectares.
Adjusting the raw material development plan
According to economic experts, after many years of negative impacts from the market, both people and sugarcane enterprises have been struggling with production and business. In this context, the province's sugar industry has restructured the sugarcane raw material area to reduce production costs and lower the price of raw sugarcane to benefit farmers.
In fact, in previous years, the sugarcane raw material areas were spread out in all localities, many raw material areas were dozens, even hundreds of kilometers away from the factory, making harvesting and transportation very difficult. After being harvested, sugarcane was not transported immediately, reducing the quality of the sugarcane. Therefore, Son Duong Sugarcane Joint Stock Company has been adjusting the plan to develop the raw material areas. Instead of developing widely, the company will focus on the key areas of Son Duong district and neighboring areas, in which the core of the raw material areas are the communes located in the processing factory area such as: Hao Phu, Hong Lac, Tam Da, Dai Phu, Dong Loi...
The company continues to plant sugarcane varieties with high yield and sugar quality to gradually replace degraded sugarcane varieties with low yield and quality; applying scientific and technical advances to intensively improve the quality of raw sugarcane. The company also applies mechanization and modernization from land preparation, harvesting, and transportation to reduce labor for sugarcane growers. Hopefully, with the company's policies and the support of sugarcane growers, sugarcane will soon regain its position as a key crop - a poverty reduction crop in the province.
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