Bo Trach: Watermelon crop failure, price drop

Viet Trung Farm Town is the watermelon growing capital of Bo Trach district with a planting area of over 240 hectares and 140 participating households. Taking us to visit the melon fields of the people, Ms. Tran Thi Nguyet, President of the Farmers' Association of Viet Trung Farm Town, said that at this time last year, melon growers in the area were excited because the melons had a good harvest and good prices, but this year the buying and selling atmosphere in the melon gardens is very gloomy because the melon crop failed.

As Ms. Nguyet shared, as soon as we arrived at the melon field of Mr. Phan Tuan Anh’s family, Quyet Tien residential group, we witnessed sparsely grown melons, weighing an average of less than 2kg. Besides, there were also many melon plants that had withered and died.

Mr. Phan Tuan Anh said that this year, his family planted 1 hectare of watermelon, with an investment cost of about 100 million VND. However, right from the beginning of the season, due to unfavorable weather, many watermelon plants withered and died. Although Mr. Tuan Anh applied technical measures to overcome the problem, the survival and fruit-setting rate of watermelon plants was still very low. If last year, the family's watermelon yield reached more than 20 tons/ha, this year, according to initial estimates, it was only about 6 tons/ha.

Due to unfavorable weather, watermelon crop in Bo Trach district failed.

“This year’s crop, the melon plants were newly planted and pollinated, so they were affected by pests and diseases due to the rainy and cold weather, making it difficult for them to set fruit. Many melons were stunted and rough and did not grow. Therefore, many families who grew melons lost almost everything. Some had to treat the soil and replant, while others abandoned their melon fields halfway through because all the plants died. My family, with about 6 tons of harvested output, if sold at the current price (VND3,500-5,000/kg), would have to lose about VND50 million (not including the labor that my wife and I spent),” Mr. Tuan Anh shared.

It is known that this year, the watermelon harvest time of farmers in Bo Trach district coincides with the watermelon harvest time in the South, so the selling price has dropped sharply and traders have bought less. Therefore, the watermelon growers are facing difficulties on top of difficulties.

Mr. Duong Van Dung, Dung Cam residential group, Nong Truong Viet Trung town said: “My family has just finished harvesting 1 hectare of watermelon. This year, due to bad weather, the watermelon crop failed, yielding only 8-9 tons/ha, down about 16 tons compared to last year. The selling price is also too low, so my family has to cover a lot of expenses.”

Mr. Phan Tuan Anh's family's watermelon field (Viet Trung Farm town, Bo Trach) this year has small fruits and low yield.

Up to now, the watermelon area planted in Viet Trung Farm town has harvested over 30%. “Before entering the production season, the locality had given guidance to farmers on choosing varieties, planting season, proper care techniques, etc. However, this year due to unfavorable weather in the early stages and fruit development, the yield was low, estimated at an average of about 15 tons/ha, of which, many households only achieved 5-6 tons/ha.

At this time, the selling price is low, farmers are also facing difficulties in output, melon growers are suffering a lot of losses. Currently, the locality is coordinating with relevant sectors and units to find solutions to help people find output for watermelons," added the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nong Truong Viet Trung town.

Watermelon in Bo Trach district is grown mainly in communes and towns: Viet Trung Farm, Ly Nam, Hoa Trach, Van Trach, Cu Nam, Tay Trach... Due to the influence of rainy, cold and frosty weather, most of the watermelon fields in these localities are affected by pests and diseases, the plants die, and the yield has decreased sharply compared to previous years.

According to Ngo Van Thanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Bo Trach District, this year, the entire district planted over 500 hectares of watermelon. The yield of harvested areas reached about 10-15 tons/ha, down 5-10 tons compared to the 2024 crop. Melon growers are facing many difficulties due to low yield, small fruits, coinciding with the harvest season of watermelons in the South, making it difficult to sell.

Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Ly Nam Commune, Vo Minh Hoan, said: "This year, Ly Nam Commune planted more than 90 hectares of watermelon, with a yield of about 15 tons/ha. Currently, the selling price fluctuates from 3,000 VND/kg to 4,000 VND/kg. With this situation, this year's watermelon crop will be a loss for farmers due to crop failure and falling prices."

Watermelon fields not only bring income to growers but also contribute to creating jobs for many workers throughout the melon season. Because growing watermelons requires many steps of preparing the soil, removing seeds, fertilizing, and arranging the fruit. On harvest day, each melon field needs dozens of workers to cut the fruit, peel the melons onto trucks, etc.; each person earns an average of 200,000 VND - 300,000 VND/person/day. This year, the melon crop failed, prices dropped, melon growers suffered losses, and hired workers were also affected due to reduced work and income.

After a hard-working season with many costs and care, farmers are entering the watermelon harvest with many worries. What watermelon growers in Bo Trach district are hoping for now is that the purchase price will increase in the coming time so that farmers can reduce some of their losses and continue to confidently stick with the watermelon growing profession.

Le Mai

Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/kinh-te/202505/bo-trach-dua-hau-mat-mua-rot-gia-2226075/