"Good harvest, low price" crops in Ninh Thuan
Quang Son is a purely agricultural commune in the mountainous district of Ninh Son (Ninh Thuan), considered the capital of sugarcane and cassava in Ninh Thuan province with a total area of nearly 3,000 hectares, accounting for more than 60% of agricultural land.
Quang Son is the commune with the largest sugarcane growing area in Ninh Thuan province. Photo: Duc Cuong
Many local farmers said that due to the specific climate and soil conditions, only sugarcane and cassava are commonly grown and are also the main crops in the local economic development.
However, with the mindset of small-scale production, each person does it for themselves, economic efficiency is not high. There is only one harvest a year, but often the situation of good harvest but low price, good price but bad harvest makes farmers not very interested.
Farmer Nguyen Mai Tien, who has been growing sugarcane for more than 15 years in Trieu Phong village, Quang Son commune, Ninh Son district (Ninh Thuan), said that although the price of sugarcane in Quang Son commune is always stable at 800,000 - 1,000,000 VND/ton (sometimes more than 1 million VND/ton) for sugarcane with 10 sugar content.
Farmers take care of young sugarcane. Photo: Duc Cuong
Although the price is stable, sugarcane growers still face many difficulties. The reason is that farmers lack linkages in production, sugarcane growers do not have a clear production plan, so when the season comes, they often harvest at the same time. Transporting sugarcane to the factory is difficult. There are cases where the sugarcane has been harvested but has to be left in the sun for many days, leading to a loss of yield and quality, and sugarcane owners have to suffer.
"Although most sugarcane farmers have consumption contracts with businesses, they are still individual farmers, and each farmer is still responsible for his own sugarcane, which has not promoted the collective spirit in sugarcane production...", Mr. Tien said.
Sugarcane and cassava are the two main crops of farmers in the "Fire Pan" of Quang Son, Ninh Son district. Photo: Duc Cuong
Along with sugarcane, cassava farmers in the "fire pan" of Quang Son, Ninh Son district, have also been restless many times because of a good harvest but low prices.
Farmer Nguyen Dinh Hoan said that the mentality of local farmers is that whichever crop brings high economic value last season, they will focus on expanding it next season. Therefore, every harvest season, supply exceeds demand, leading to "good harvest, low price". This refrain is repeated because farmers lack a clear direction in crop conversion.
Farmers harvest cassava every year. Photo: Duc Cuong
Establishing cooperatives will increase the value of sugarcane and cassava.
According to Mr. Hoan, farmers are not really in control of the production process, so the economic efficiency of sugarcane and cassava is not high. Farmers have not yet promoted their supervisory role in the weighing process to determine the quality of sugarcane and cassava when selling to businesses.
Sugarcane is only harvested once a year. If well cared for, it can yield over 10 tons per sao (1,000 square meters). Photo: Duc Cuong
"What farmers want is to establish a cooperative to guide farmers, helping farmers have a clear production plan for each crop. Having a cooperative will also help solve the need for loans so that farmers can boldly expand production. From there, gradually change farmers' production thinking to improve economic efficiency from local sugarcane and cassava...", Mr. Hoan said.
According to the People's Committee of Quang Son commune, Ninh Son district (Ninh Thuan), in recent years, sugarcane and cassava have been the two main crops of local farmers, helping people to overcome hunger and reduce poverty to develop the economy.
As for sugarcane, every year farmers have contracts with Bien Hoa - Phan Rang Sugarcane Company to produce sugarcane. However, the above mentioned cooperation is also carried out individually by each household and not collectively.
Every year, the mechanization of sugarcane transportation has been carried out by farmers. Photo: Duc Cuong
Mr. Duong Dang Minh, Secretary of the Quang Son Commune Party Committee, said that Quang Son Commune in particular and Ninh Son District in general have the largest sugarcane and cassava growing area in Ninh Thuan Province. This is also the main sugarcane and cassava material area of Bien Hoa - Phan Rang Sugarcane Company and Ninh Thuan Cassava Starch Joint Stock Company.
According to Mr. Minh, the locality still maintains the area for growing sugarcane and cassava. However, up to now, in the commune in particular and the whole district in general, there is still no agricultural cooperative for these two crops.
"In the coming time, the locality will continue to convert suitable crops, focusing on crops with high economic value. At the same time, it will also promote the dissemination of the Law on Cooperatives to have a basis to guide people to understand the role of cooperatives. This is a bridge to connect farmers and businesses, thereby allowing farmers to voluntarily participate in establishing cooperatives...", Mr. Minh said.
Farmers harvest cassava in Quang Son commune. Photo: Duc Cuong
According to the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province, from the beginning of 2024 to now (September 13, 2024), the province has established 7 new agricultural cooperatives, bringing the total number of agricultural cooperatives in the area to 128. Of which, there are 112 agricultural cooperatives. Most of the cooperatives have affirmed their role and quality of operation.
Mr. Truong Khac Tri, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ninh Thuan province, said that in fact, the establishment and operation of cooperatives has created conditions for farmers to increase their income through agricultural production.
For example, Tuan Tu agricultural cooperative specializes in green asparagus in An Hai commune (Ninh Phuoc district), Thai An cooperative specializes in grapes in Vinh Hai commune, purple onion cooperative in Nhon Hai commune (Ninh Hai district) and many other agricultural - forestry - fishery cooperatives in the province.
Currently, Quang Son commune is still maintaining the production of two main crops: sugarcane and cassava. Photo: Duc Cuong
According to Mr. Tri, in the coming time, Ninh Thuan will continue to encourage the development of collective economy. In particular, focusing on developing collective economy in industries and fields with potential and strengths of the locality.
"According to the province's plan, by the end of 2024, it will strive to increase the number of cooperatives in the area to 129, including 113 agricultural cooperatives. Thereby, continuing to promote the development of collective economy in agriculture in particular to grow more and more...", Mr. Tri said.
According to Bien Hoa – Phan Rang Sugarcane Joint Stock Company, it has signed a contract to purchase about 950 hectares of sugarcane for people in Quang Son commune. Annually, the sugarcane output in Quang Son commune and Ninh Thuan in general meets about 60% of the company's production capacity.
It is known that farmers who sign a joint contract will receive support from the company for plowing, fertilizer and pesticide costs and will sign a purchase price for raw sugarcane at the insurance price for the people, but when it comes to actual harvest, it will be at the market price.
Regarding cassava, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ninh Thuan province advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Decision No. 1445/QD-UBND dated July 27, 2021 on the Plan for developing the crop industry in Ninh Thuan province for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030.
The province's cassava development orientation until 2025 is to stabilize the planting area at about 5,120 hectares, with an output of 111,300 tons. This number is concentrated in the two districts of Ninh Son (3,400 hectares) and Bac Ai (1,500 hectares).
In addition, Ninh Thuan will focus on building raw cassava growing areas associated with processing and consumption industries, organizing production in the direction of production households, farms, and cooperatives linked by agricultural contracts with cassava starch processing enterprises.
Source: https://danviet.vn/vi-sao-nong-dan-trong-mia-duong-o-ninh-thuan-lai-muon-vao-hop-tac-xa-nong-nghiep-20240915125347765.htm
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