Farmers expect bumper watermelon for Tet

With favorable weather, little pests and diseases causing damage, the high price of watermelon, farmers grow watermelon in Vinh Hung district of Long An province are excited. On average, each hectare of watermelon gives a profit of 50 to 80 million VND per crop.

Summer-Autumn watermelon crop, farmers profit from 50-80 million VND per hectare

In the Summer-Autumn crop of 2019, Vinh Hung district planted more than 650 hectares of watermelons, so far it has given a definite harvest, thanks to favorable weather, high price of watermelons, most farmers produce watermelon to gain good profits. 

Mr. Tran Ngoc Hang, Khanh Hung commune, said that the family has just harvested 2 hectares of watermelon (Red Sun watermelon variety), yield capacity reached nearly 25 tons per hectare, selling price 7,000 per kg, minus costs, the profit is more than 50 million VND per hectare.

And Mr. Le Van Binh, Thai Binh Trung commune has just harvested 1 hectare of watermelon (Phu Dong watermelon variety) with a yield capacity of 25.5 tons, selling price of 8,000 VND per kilo, excluding expenses (seed, fertilizer, pesticide, labor work), he earned a profit of nearly 60 millionVND.

In order to prepare watermelons to serve this year's Tet market, farmers in Vinh Hung district now focus on seeding and actively take care of them.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ut, a farmer planting watermelon in Khanh Hung commune, said that her family planted 0.7 hectares of watermelon for Tet market this year. By this time, her watermelons have been grown more than 20 days, due to favorable weather, watermelons grow well.

Mr. Tran Van Ben, Vinh Hung townlet, shared that he earned nearly 100 million VND of interest for last year's watermelon crop, with an average yield of 23 tons per hectare, traders buy in the field with 8,900 VND per kilo, after deducting expenses, with 1.2 hectares of watermelon. This year, right from the 10th lunar month, with this area, he went to grow watermelons to serve the Tet market, watermelons now grow well, expected to be harvested in mid-December.

“In order to achieve high productivity and yield capacity for watermelons, it is necessary to comply with the technical process, in which the most important thing is to use balanced fertilizers, use industrial mulch and regularly visit watermelon fields to detect and prevent and treat. timely disease. If the price of watermelon is stable at the present level, after deducting expenses, farmers will gain high interest”- Mr. Ben expected.

Head of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vinh Hung district - To Van Chanh said that watermelon is a suitable crop to the district's natural conditions, brings high efficiency, helps many households escape poverty and become rich. Particularly for the watermelon crop this year, farmers in the district planted more than 150 hectares, concentrated in communes (Vinh Binh, Thai Tri, Thai Binh Trung, Khanh Hung, etc.), with varieties such as Sen Hong, Rong Xanh, Trau Vang 999 and Phu Dong. These areas are growing well, farmers are actively taking care of them, farmers hope the watermelons price will continue to be stable and promise a bumper crop.