Hai Duong farmers continue to write the dream of high-tech agriculture

Ms. Phung Thi Tien's family is a rare household that was able to preserve 3,700 melon trees from the terrible destruction of storm No. 3.

Race to restore production

High-tech production in greenhouses and net houses is the pride of 189 members of Tan Minh Duc Cooperative in Pham Tran Commune (Gia Loc). Thanks to bold innovation, from a cooperative specializing in traditional agricultural products, Tan Minh Duc has built a reputation for high-tech agricultural production nationwide. With more than 45 hectares of greenhouses and net houses serving the closed process of growing melons and cucumbers, the cooperative has become a destination for many individuals, organizations and businesses wanting to learn from experience and cooperate.

Tan Minh Duc Cooperative is a model not only in Hai Duong province but also in the North in high-tech agriculture with great economic value, considered to be super profitable. With 3 crops of melons and 1 crop of cucumbers each year, the cooperative earns from 2.5 to 2.7 billion VND/ha, with a profit of 1 to 1.2 billion VND/ha. However, storm No. 3 in early September has turned the nearly 10 years of efforts of the cooperative members to zero.

The most terrible storm in the past few decades completely destroyed 30 hectares of greenhouses and net houses, the remaining area was damaged. Farmers not only suffered heavy damage to production infrastructure but also lost all the results of nurturing the melon crop ready for harvest. When the storm passed and the wind calmed, farmers felt the loss to the fullest. All their assets, capital, and livelihoods suddenly became burdens and pressures. However, the discouragement quickly passed, people turned their loss into action, determined to revive the foundation they had built up over many years.

Storm No. 3 has caused many areas of greenhouses and net houses in Hai Duong to collapse completely.

After the storm, every day Mr. Hoang Anh Thu, Deputy Director of Tan Minh Duc Cooperative, was present in the fields to encourage people to overcome the consequences of storm No. 3. Mr. Thu recalled the journey of building the Tan Minh Duc brand with a heavy heart. In 2017, the idea of ​​producing in greenhouses and net houses was just starting to emerge in 2 member households with an area of ​​several thousand ^square meters and after only a few years, the cooperative had become a "famous" unit in high-tech agriculture. However, after just one storm, everything changed. Billions of dong gardens suddenly became ruined and desolate. However, the farmers were not discouraged.

The family of Mr. Hoang Hai Ca in Nam Cau village, Pham Tran commune has 3,600 ^m2 of greenhouses and net houses. This is the result of his investment of all the money he saved during many years of working in Japan. After only 2 harvests of melons, storm No. 3 hit. While quickly cleaning up the iron bars scattered on the field, Mr. Ca said: “My family has not yet recovered the capital, still owes the bank 700 million VND. The initial cost of building the greenhouse was 110 million VND/sao, now restoring it will cost 65% of the cost of rebuilding. Not only that, hiring workers is very difficult. Everyone had to contact a team of mechanics from the interior to urgently rebuild the greenhouse in time for the new crop season.”

The plan to expand another 10,000 ^{m2 of} greenhouses and net houses of Mr. Nguyen Van Tien in Tu Cuong commune (Thanh Mien) has been dashed as these days his family is still focusing on repairing the collapsed area due to storm No. 3. Having invested more than 3 billion VND in building a greenhouse and automatic irrigation system since 2019, Mr. Tien has always dreamed of getting rich right in his hometown. A favorable start has given him more confidence to boldly expand the scale. However, natural disasters have hindered his steps, he has to recalculate if he wants to continue on the path of developing high-tech agriculture. Talking about the time when storm No. 3 destroyed more than 10,000 ^square meters of his family's greenhouse and net house, Mr. Tien said in a daze: "More than 23,000 melons were only a dozen days away from harvest when the storm ravaged them all and they all fell off. The strong storm tore the stretch film apart, the main pillars fell and tilted, all the barriers fell off and were scattered everywhere, making anyone who passed by feel heartbroken."

Hai Duong farmers are trying to rebuild greenhouses and net houses as soon as possible.

Although saddened by the huge loss, when asked about his future plans, Mr. Tien's eyes lit up with hope. He said that he still had to mobilize relatives to support and help clean up and classify objects and tools that could be used to save on repair costs and rebuild the greenhouse. "In about half a month, when the first greenhouse is completed, I will plant cucumbers. This is a short-term variety so I won't miss the season. Now everything has calmed down, I have to pull myself together and not be pessimistic and discouraged forever," Mr. Tien said firmly.

“This Tet, the greenhouse will be green again”

That is the optimistic statement of Ms. Do Thi Hue in Nam Cau village, Pham Tran commune, although her family is still busy rebuilding nearly 11,000 ^{m2 of} greenhouses and net houses. In the past, her family was only familiar with growing traditional vegetables such as kohlrabi, cabbage, cauliflower, etc. Production was fragmented and income was unstable, so when she was transferred the production techniques in greenhouses and net houses, Ms. Hue quickly applied advanced techniques and achieved high economic efficiency. Thanks to that, from a 4,000 ^m2 greenhouse area, she continued to build 3 more areas, specializing in growing melons. The efforts and capital accumulated over many years were wiped out by storm No. 3.

Although the first greenhouse and net house are just being completed, Ms. Do Thi Hue believes that by the Lunar New Year, the greenhouses and net houses will be covered in green.

When looking at the desolate, desolate scene of the greenhouse area after the storm, Ms. Hue was discouraged, even thinking of giving up. The old debt had not been paid yet and the cost of restoration was also very large. However, overcoming everything, she remained optimistic, believing in the direction she had chosen. Ms. Hue shared: “Being attached to farming, there are no difficulties, hardships, or failures that she has not experienced. It is just that natural disasters and unexpected storms make everyone feel heartbroken. Now we just hope to be given conditions to postpone or extend the debt to restore production. If that is the case, then by Tet At Ty, the greenhouse will be covered in green again. If any family can fix it quickly, they might still be able to sell the Tet melon crop in time.”

Luckier than other households, Ms. Phung Thi Tien's family in the same Nam Cau village still kept about 3,700 melon plants ready for harvest after storm No. 3. However, damage is inevitable, her family is trying to fix nearly 2,500 m2 ^{of the} greenhouse that completely collapsed. While the workers rebuilt the greenhouse, Ms. Tien took the opportunity to clean up the surrounding area, prepare growing media, and grow seedlings so that when the work is finished, the new crop can begin immediately. Ms. Tien affirmed that she will not give up halfway, while there is still water, there is still hope, she only hopes that the local greenhouse areas will soon go into stable production.

Although he is a mechanic, Bui Van Manh in Ung Hoe commune (Ninh Giang) soon became involved in farming. He designed and assembled more than 6,000 ^square meters of greenhouses and net houses for his family. Storm No. 3 destroyed everything while a large debt was still waiting. However, Manh was not pessimistic and persisted in overcoming the damage. “I have planted a new crop, green shoots have sprouted, and in no time the vines have grown. It may take a few more years for those pursuing high-tech agriculture to fully compensate for the consequences of the storm. However, we must always look forward,” Manh said.

Hai Duong is considered the cradle of high-tech agriculture in the North when it approached early and quickly developed this production method. The whole province has more than 65 hectares of greenhouses and net houses, but storm No. 3 with the devastation of the super storm affected the entire area. The investment cost to build greenhouses and net houses is very large, about 3.3 billion VND/ha, so the damage to farmers is very heavy. Despite that, Hai Duong farmers are still resilient, striving to overcome losses to restore production, continuing to realize the dream of high-tech agriculture.

STRONG

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nong-dan-hai-duong-viet-tiep-giac-mo-nong-nghiep-cong-nghe-cao-394712.html