Green pumpkins from Nghe An province are having a bumper crop and fetching good prices as Tet approaches.

In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), National Highway 15A, passing through Luong Son commune, is adorned with a lush green "coat" of pumpkin vines laden with fruit, ready for harvest. The abundant harvest of green pumpkins, along with good prices, not only meets the market demand for Tet but also brings complete joy and warmth to the farmers after a year of hard work.

The green pumpkin fields are in the midst of harvest season, just before Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Van Truong

It has been learned that the majority of the land used for growing green squash here is leased by farmers in Anh Son Dong commune from residents of Luong Son commune. Fields previously used for growing low-yield corn have now been converted to growing green squash – a short-term crop that is easy to cultivate but offers high economic value.

The family of Mr. Le Van Be, in Tao Son hamlet, Anh Son Dong commune, is one of the households that has achieved significant economic benefits from growing green pumpkins. Mr. Be said that his family has been renting land in Luong Son commune to grow green pumpkins for the past 6-7 years.

Previously, this land was mainly used for growing corn, but the yield was unstable, costs were high, and the economic efficiency was negligible. Recognizing that zucchini was suitable for the soil and climate and had a stable market, his family decided to rent 17 acres of land to switch to commercial zucchini production.

Green squash grown in Luong Son commune is yielding a good harvest and fetching good prices, bringing joy to farmers. Photo: Van Truong

“Squash is a short-term crop, easy to care for, from planting to harvesting takes only about 90 days. Each crop can yield 4-5 harvests. The squash variety we grow has dense flesh, firm texture, and can be stored for a long time, making it very convenient for long-distance transportation, so traders come directly to the fields to buy it,” Mr. Bé shared.

After more than 3 months of care, Mr. Bé's family's green pumpkin garden is now entering its first harvest of the winter season. The estimated yield is about 1.2 tons per sao (approximately 1000 square meters), and the selling price during the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) ranges from 15,000-17,000 VND/kg, higher than usual by 6,000-8,000 VND/kg due to strong consumer demand. After deducting costs for seeds, fertilizers, trellises, and labor, each sao of pumpkins brings in an income of 12-15 million VND.

Not far from there is the pumpkin garden of Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh in Hamlet 5. In Anh Son Dong commune, due to the limited area of ​​land owned by his family, for many years he and several other households in the village have jointly rented land in other localities to develop commercial vegetable production.

Traders come directly to the garden to buy pumpkins. Photo: Van Truong

“For nearly seven years now, our group has been renting dozens of hectares of land each year to grow vegetables, with green squash being our main crop,” Vinh said. In Luong Son commune alone, his group is renting nearly 15 hectares of land, of which his family owns 2 hectares. The land rent is approximately 8 million VND/hectare/year, with a continuous 5-year lease contract, creating favorable conditions for long-term production investment.

Thanks to stable land resources and years of accumulated production experience, Vinh's group grows two crops of green squash annually, supplying hundreds of tons of produce to the market. On average, each hectare yields 80-90 tons of fruit per year. This year's winter crop, intended for the Lunar New Year, was bountiful and fetched good prices, with yields reaching approximately 45 tons/ha. At times, the selling price at the farm reached 17,000 VND/kg, providing a significant income for the squash growers.

According to Mr. Vinh, the construction of trellises is crucial for achieving high and stable yields of green squash. Trellises made of bamboo and reeds combined with wire mesh help the plants climb high, receive sufficient sunlight, reduce pests and diseases, and increase fruit set. In addition, farmers focus on using organic fertilizers, raising the planting beds, pruning the vines, ensuring good drainage, and proactively controlling pests and diseases.

In addition, emphasis has been placed on linking product consumption. Before planting, many pumpkin growers proactively contacted and connected with traders from all over. As a result, when the pumpkins were ready for harvest, traders sent trucks directly to the fields to purchase all the produce at market prices, helping farmers to produce with peace of mind and without worrying about sales.

Green squash grown in Luong Son commune is supplied to many markets. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Tran Van Tien, a trader specializing in buying pumpkins in Luong Son commune, said: "During the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the demand for vegetables and tubers increases sharply, including green pumpkins. On average, I buy 30-40 tons of pumpkins daily at prices ranging from 15,000 to 17,000 VND/kg to transport and sell in the northern provinces. In addition, many other traders come to buy them."

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Dinh, Head of the Economic Department of Luong Son Commune, there are currently more than 20 hectares of agricultural land in the commune leased to farmers from other localities for production. Leasing the land not only helps local people increase their income from less productive farming areas but also contributes to cleaner, more beautiful, and more efficiently utilized fields; at the same time, it creates conditions for lessees to expand their scale and develop commercial agricultural production to serve the market.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/bi-xanh-nghe-an-duoc-mua-duoc-gia-dip-can-tet-10321361.html