Farmers get rich by bringing crops to the fields

In recent years, thanks to the work of crop restructuring and propaganda by the professional sector, local authorities and people's awareness, agricultural production in Soc Trang province has not been affected by drought and salinity. In addition, people have switched to growing 2 rice crops and 1 color crop at the foot of the field, bringing in good income.

In many rice growing areas in the late Winter-Spring crop, farmers did not plant rice but switched to growing other crops. Photo: THUY LIEU

Excitedly harvesting green squash grown at the foot of the field, Mr. Lam Thonh, Ward 7, Soc Trang City (Soc Trang) shared: "Following the local recommendations, for the past 2 years I have not planted the third rice crop but have switched to bringing color to the foot of the field. I have a rice growing area of ^{​​6,000m2} , of which ^3,000m2 is located near the canal, convenient for irrigation, so I have planted green squash. Compared to growing rice, growing squash at the foot of the field does not require plowing the soil. When the rice harvest is finished, the stubble on the field is still intact, just stretch the rope in straight rows and divide the seeding distance appropriately, then dig a small hole in the soil and put the squash seeds in".

After sowing and caring for the seeds normally like other vegetables, on the 55th day, the squash yielded its first harvest. After the first harvest, the squash was harvested every 3 days and lasted for more than 2 months. The harvested squash was purchased by traders at the field, the selling price was from 5,000 - 10,000 VND/kg, depending on the time, with an area of ^{​​3,000m2,} the yield was estimated at 7 tons of fruit, minus costs, the profit was about 40 million VND/crop/year.

“In fact, growing vegetables at the foot of the field requires insignificant investment costs, but the income is many times higher than growing rice. In fact, my family's rice fields grow 2 rice crops, the profit is less than 50% of growing 1 vegetable crop, but due to production practices, I only grow 2 rice crops and 1 vegetable crop at the foot of the field per year. During the late winter-spring rice crop, instead of sowing rice, I saw the high risk of drought and salinity, when the local authorities recommended, I chose to grow gourd squash at the foot of the field. The squash has been planted on ^3,000m2 , about 10 days from harvest, the weight is from 1 - 1.5kg/fruit, the estimated yield is more than 4 tons. Currently, traders buy at the field for 8,000 VND/kg, with the above price minus costs, the profit is more than 30 million VND", said Ms. Lam Thi Dien, Ward 7, Soc Trang city.

According to Ms. Dien, in addition to selling fruit, she also harvests squash flowers to sell at traditional markets, the money from selling squash flowers is enough to cover the cost of fertilizer for the entire crop season. After several crop seasons, Ms. Dien saw that the color was very green thanks to the amount of fertilizer in the rice crop remaining in the fields, especially the crops were less attacked by pests and diseases and the yield was always good, especially the water source for the crops did not need much, so storing water for the crops was convenient during times of salt water...

Comrade Tran Vinh Nghi - Head of the Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection of Soc Trang province said that the area of ​​food crops in the whole province is more than 21,800 hectares. The area of ​​crops grown at the foot of the fields in the late Winter - Spring rice crop of 2024 - 2025 in the whole province alone is 828 hectares. Crops grown at the foot of the fields are grown in districts such as My Xuyen, Thanh Tri, My Tu, Tran De, Long Phu, Ke Sach, Chau Thanh and Nga Nam town, Soc Trang city. The main types of vegetables grown at the foot of the fields are watermelon, squash, pumpkin, corn, cucumber, and green beans. The market price of crops has also increased slightly from 500 - 2,000 VND/kg (depending on the type), ensuring that farmers growing crops have good profits after harvest...

In order to help farmers cultivate crops with high productivity and quality, the unit will send technical staff to support farmers in crop cultivation techniques, guide them in growing crops according to VietGAP processes to reduce crop investment costs and increase post-harvest profits. Along with that, assign staff to regularly monitor farmers' crop fields in the province, as well as check water sources in rivers, canals, and ditches... by measuring salinity to promptly advise people on watering crops...

THUY LIEU

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/nong-nghiep/202504/nong-dan-phat-len-nho-dua-cay-mau-xuong-chan-ruong-d781fdb/