Recorded in the colored fields

People of Hoang Luu commune harvest carrots in the joint production field.

In the sweet cold of the last days of March, I went to Kim Son village, Hoang Tien commune, when people were busy harvesting potatoes. The large, golden potatoes were sorted into large plastic bags and neatly arranged on the edge of the field, waiting for trucks to transport them. Mr. Le Van Tu, head of Kim Son village, introduced the village's colored fields and boasted: "This is the 5th year that people here have produced potatoes in association. Every year, there are 3 crops, without letting the land rest, after the rice crop, the soybean crop and the vegetable crop, then the potato crop; each season has its own food, the agricultural land use coefficient here reaches 2.35 times, thus bringing high economic value per unit area".

Mr. Le Van Tu shared: “One sao of potatoes can bring economic efficiency 3-4 times higher than growing rice; one sao of soybeans and vegetables also brings efficiency twice as high as growing rice. Therefore, 3 households in the village, including: Le Duy Trong, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Tran Huu Vui have stood up to accumulate and concentrate large areas of land to grow potatoes and soybeans and vegetables in the form of association. More than a dozen other households in the village also produce on their own land.”

According to the head of Kim Son village, in the last winter and winter-spring crops alone, the whole village had 11.3 hectares of land planted with Marabel and Atlantic potato varieties... Households rented or borrowed land from local people for production; at the same time, they signed contracts to consume products with VIETPO Joint Stock Company. People who rented or borrowed land were hired as seasonal laborers for planting, caring for and harvesting with wages ranging from 230,000 - 250,000 VND/day, depending on the time.

Growing potatoes today is not as hard as before, from making beds to harvesting and fertilizing, all use machines; the products are no longer worried about low prices but the output is stable, businesses come to buy at the field, so the people in Kim Son village are very excited. Moreover, potatoes are planted and cared for according to technical instructions, suitable soil, favorable weather, so they achieve productivity and quality. "This year's potato crop has an average yield of about 1.4 tons/sao, some potato varieties have higher yields. The price of the last purchase unit was 7,500 VND/kg. The crops have a stable yield and output, after deducting production costs, people have additional income from sticking to the fields. Kim Son is one of the villages with high income in the commune, the average income per capita of the village has reached 77.2 million VND/year", Mr. Tu added.

In Hoang Luu commune, in March, people in Phuong Ngo 1, Phuong Ngo 2, Nghia Lap, Phuong Khe villages... were also busy harvesting potatoes and carrots in the associated fields. People were assured of a good harvest and stable prices; and the associated units had a source of quality agricultural products to supply to export processing units.

Mr. Le Ngoc Hanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoang Luu Commune, said: Producing commercial crops in the form of association has been carried out by many people in the commune for about 7-8 years. In particular, since applying science and technology, bringing mechanization into production, and signing contracts to commit to product output, people have enthusiastically participated. Households contribute land, lease land and directly participate in the stages of planting, caring for and harvesting crops with a stable daily labor rate. Production in the form of association, large fields, each hectare of land for growing commercial crops can be rotated for 3 crops a year (growing potatoes, pumpkins, glutinous rice or soybeans), the value can reach 120 - 150 million VND/ha/crop. In the winter crop of 2024-2025 alone, the whole commune has 120 households associated with Xuan Minh Company Limited to grow 20 hectares of potatoes and 10 hectares of carrots. The company organizes production, provides seeds, fertilizers, agricultural materials and provides technical guidance to people. Most of the linked area is invested in automatic irrigation systems so that the crops have high productivity and quality.

Life is becoming more and more modern, many people are looking for other more profitable jobs. However, in the countryside, there are still many farmers who are keen on production, turning colored fields into valuable products with commercial crops. According to statistics from the People's Committee of Hoang Hoa district, in 2024 alone, the whole district had 769.5 hectares of crops linked to the value chain, an increase of 340 hectares compared to the same period in 2023. Many organizations, individuals, businesses, and cooperatives inside and outside the district have built sustainable and long-term production links with the people. This is one of the encouraging results in agricultural development in localities. Walking on the bustling fields of harvest season, I suddenly remembered the meaningful verses in "Song of Breaking the Earth" by author Hoang Trung Thong: "Working hands/ We sow life/ On every dry land/ Hardworking hands/ Despite the scorching sun/ Potatoes are planted in the fields/ Rice is planted in the green forests/ When the potatoes are gone, we sow sesame/ Without letting the land rest, without stopping our hands"... Still the familiar fields, still the same year-round daily farming work, but in a new mindset, new form of production, the "rice fields, honey fields" and the spirit of hard work still bring about bountiful harvests.

Article and photos: Minh Hien

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ghi-o-nhung-canh-dong-mau-244663.htm