Hybrid corn production in the province in general and among ethnic minorities in Ham Can and My Thanh (Ham Thuan Nam) in particular often encounters many difficulties. The main cause is identified as being infected with pests, especially fall armyworms, leading to high production costs and low production efficiency. Therefore, in order to improve crop efficiency for the people, the Provincial Mountain Service Center has regularly coordinated with relevant units to test new, higher-yielding corn varieties, including CP 519 corn.
From the corn crop failure, low price
These days, ethnic minority people in Ham Can and My Thanh communes have begun the 2023 summer-autumn corn harvest season. Along the main roads of the two communes, trucks carrying dozens of bags of finished corn are gathered along the roadside, waiting for the Provincial Mountain Service Center (Center) to purchase and consume the products according to the advance investment program.
Mr. Mang Van Canh, village 1, Ham Can commune is one of the local households producing hybrid corn. Mr. Canh said that this year's corn crop had both a bad harvest and low prices, leading to losses. His family produces 3 hectares of corn but this year lost about 20 million VND due to low productivity and selling prices, and had to owe the Center for advance investment costs.
Talking about the 2023 summer-autumn corn production situation in the village, Mr. Mang Van Duong, agent of village 1, Ham Can commune, said that due to the weather and pests, the corn plants have few fruits and the yield is lower than previous years. If a few years ago the yield was 6-7 tons/ha of corn, this year 1 ha only reached about 4 tons. Meanwhile, the investment cost of 1 ha is 8 million VND, the production time is 4 months, but the selling price of finished corn (30 humidity) is only 3,650 VND/kg, compared to the same period last year, the selling price was 5,200 VND/kg. This leads to a decrease in people's income, some households only break even or lose capital.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Chi - Director of the Provincial Mountainous Service Center, this year's corn purchase price is lower than previous years due to the impact of the general market output price (low import price of corn for animal feed). At the same time, he said that at this time, the center has started purchasing corn from the people with an expected output of about 6,500 - 7,000 tons. Currently, the Center is trying to find businesses and markets to consume agricultural products for the people at the most favorable prices.
In addition, in recent years, in the process of receiving advance investment to produce hybrid corn, people have only focused on the main varieties NK 7328 and CP 511, CP 512. Using the same variety continuously for many years on the same land has more or less caused soil degradation, affecting the resistance as well as the quality and productivity of corn. The current average yield of the regions is only 5 - 6 tons/ha.
Hope for new corn varieties
Based on the above reality, along with the policy of the Provincial People's Committee in encouraging farmers to change the structure of crops and livestock to increase the efficiency of agricultural production, improve the lives of farmers, especially in ethnic minority areas. Accordingly, in the summer-autumn crop of 2023, the Center coordinated with CP Vietnam Seed Company Limited, Ham Can Commune People's Committee and Village 1 Agent to test the demonstration model of the new hybrid corn variety CP 519 in the corn growing area of Mr. Mang Van Duong's household, with a testing area of 1 hectare. The implementation period is from June 22 to October 6, 2023. After more than 3 months of implementation, it shows that the hybrid corn variety CP 519 has a growing period of 95 - 110 days, with a high emergence rate.
Mr. Mang Van Duong - the owner of the model said that the monitoring process showed that the CP 519 hybrid corn variety is widely adaptable, suitable for many different forms of cultivation. The plant grows well right from the seedling stage, with large and strong roots, large corn stalks, large biomass and good resistance to falling; the corn kernels are orange-yellow, the high seed separation rate is from 81 - 83%, the corn is large, the shell covers the corn well to prevent rotting, high uniformity, good grain setting ability, high grain yield, affirming the superiority of the variety... According to calculations, the potential yield of this corn variety is higher than other popular corn varieties. After deducting input costs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc., the average income for 1 hectare of the new hybrid corn variety is about 19.5 million VND, compared to the old hybrid corn variety which only reached nearly 12 million VND.
At the field workshop on CP 519 hybrid corn variety organized by the Provincial Mountainous Service Center recently in Ham Can commune, 100 ethnic minority households growing hybrid corn that received advance investment all wished to be transferred technical advances in the production and intensive cultivation of hybrid corn. Especially the use of new varieties to improve productivity and increase income. This is also the basis for people to boldly choose new hybrid corn varieties to replace old varieties in the following crops. Thereby contributing to the shift in the structure of hybrid corn varieties, gradually promoting production development, sustainable poverty reduction, and improving the lives of ethnic minorities.
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