Cần Thơ rice farmers switch to high-value sesame

CẦN THƠ — Among measures to cope with drought and fresh water shortage, the switch to sesame crops in the dry season has provided rice farmers in Cần Thơ City with higher incomes in recent years.

Farmers growing sesame in Cần Thơ City earn much higher profits than rice cultivation in the dry season. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Liêm

It is estimated that the city has turned nearly 2,270ha of rice fields into sesame in the current summer-autumn crop, a year-on-year increase of 1,713ha, according to the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The sesame plant is mostly cultivated in Thốt Nốt, Ô Môn, Cờ Đỏ and Vĩnh Thạnh districts.

Sesame is a short-day and drought-resistant plant. It takes around 75 days before being harvested.

The profit from planting sesame is two to three times higher than rice, equivalent to VNĐ7.5 million (US$320) per hectare.

With last year’s bumper harvest summer-autumn crop and high selling prices, sesame farmers earned a profit of VNĐ50 million ($2,145) per hectare.

The department said sesame helps improve the soil's fertility and saves irrigation water, especially in the dry season.

Rice rotated with sesame also helps reduce diseases for the next rice crops.

The city has more than 9,280ha of rice fields that have been turned into bean and vegetable cultivation and short-term industrial plants this crop, up 2,490ha compared to last year’s summer-autumn crop.