In the days after Tet, despite the drizzly and cold weather, people in Nghi Loc district still hurriedly went to the fields to harvest shallots.
Mrs. Ha Thi An's family in Hamlet 8, Nghi Thuan Commune has 3 sao of chives. After about half a year of planting, the chives have begun to yield harvests after Tet. "This is the 6th year my family has grown chives, much more effectively than growing corn or peanuts before. This year, the yield of chives has not increased compared to previous years, only about 4 quintals/sao, however, due to the high price at the beginning of the season, everyone is rushing to harvest chives to import while the price is still good," Mrs. An shared.
It is known that the current price of shallots ranges from 50,000 - 70,000 VND/kg, which is 3 times higher than the main crop of the previous year. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam in Nghi Lam commune shared: "After Tet, the price of shallots is usually high due to high market demand and many shops reopening. Besides, because it is early in the season, the harvested area of shallots is not much. In about half a month, when mass harvesting begins, the price of shallots will decrease, usually fluctuating from 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg".
Shallots have been planted in Nghi Loc for about 10 years now, gradually becoming one of the plants that bring economic efficiency and stable income to farmers here. In this land, shallots are grown in a very special way, which is intercropping with corn. After the corn grows taller, shallots also begin to be harvested.
The process of taking care of onions is also unique, covered with a layer of pine needles and rice husks. According to the people, pine needles are clean, have high porosity, combined with rice husks to add organic matter to the soil, significantly increasing the productivity of crops, especially chives. Therefore, in chive growing areas such as Nghi Lam, Nghi Thuan, Nghi Van..., pine needles are "precious as gold" by the people. Every year, people here go into the forest to collect pine needles to grow onions.
Because of good care, the quality of shallots in Nghe An is always superior, the bulbs are big and round, rich in essential oils and very fragrant, so they are favored by customers. The process of growing and caring for shallots is not too laborious compared to other crops, and there are few pests and diseases. However, the harvest stage takes a long time, requiring patience and diligence.
Ms. Hoang Thi Khanh in Nghi Thuan commune shared: People here usually harvest shallots in two ways. Most people use their hands to pull the plants up and cut the bulbs, others use tools to dig up the soil, then pick the shallots. Either way takes time because the shallots are small and mixed with mud. Most families go early in the morning, after a session they can only dig up a few hundred kilos, and quickly bring them home to clean in time to sell to traders.
Mr. Tran Nguyen Hoa - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghi Loc district said: The whole district currently has more than 300 hectares of shallots and the area is increasingly expanding because shallots have proven their economic efficiency. Currently, shallots in Nghi Thuan and Nghi Lam communes have been certified as 3-star OCOP products, which is an important lever to bring the Nghi Loc shallot brand to the market. Shallot cultivation not only brings economic efficiency but is also a model that adapts to climate change because shallots grow well on highland areas that are often drought-prone in the locality.
Shallots are often used as a spice to prepare many everyday dishes. In addition, in Oriental medicine, shallots are also used as a medicine to disinfect, detoxify, and treat colds. Because of their wide range of uses, shallots are very popular and sought after by people.
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