Effectiveness of Hoang Long sweet potato production model

Building a model for local economic development, the Farmers' Association of Binh Dinh Commune (Yen Lac) has coordinated with the Institute of Food Crops and Food Plants ( Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ) to conduct trials and support farmers in bringing high-quality Hoang Long sweet potato varieties into cultivation.

Hoang Long sweet potatoes are widely cultivated by farmers in Binh Dinh commune, giving high productivity and economic efficiency.

With the outstanding quality and economic efficiency of this potato variety, in 2023, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh commune coordinated with Tuan Duong Production and Service Company Limited, Dai Noi village, Binh Dinh commune to develop a plan to purchase sweet potatoes in the field, produce and process them into packaged products with the ability to preserve, register traceability stamps for products to expand the consumption market, increase income for farmers.

Sweet potato is one of the varieties of plants chosen by farmers in Binh Dinh commune to grow in the winter crop. However, due to low productivity and economic efficiency, people are not interested in cultivating it.

In 2017, the Farmers' Association of Binh Dinh commune coordinated with the Institute of Food Crops and Food Plants to conduct trials and support farmers to bring Hoang Long sweet potato variety into cultivation to replace old varieties on an area of 3 hectares.

Hoang Long sweet potatoes are suitable for sandy soil and have a short growing period. In the first winter crop, the sweet potato plants were evaluated to have many tubers, yellow flesh, soft and sweet; especially, the yield reached 13 tons/ha, an increase of 50% compared to the old variety.

Thanks to many outstanding advantages in yield and quality, potatoes are purchased by traders in the field at an average price of 13,000 - 15,000 VND/kg.

Mr. Bui Thanh Son, Secretary of the Party Committee of Binh Dinh Commune, said: "Compared to other winter crop varieties grown in the commune, Hoang Long sweet potatoes have outstanding productivity and economic efficiency. From the initial 3ha trial planting area, up to now, the whole commune has more than 1,000 households growing Hoang Long sweet potatoes on a total area of more than 70ha.

In recent years, Hoang Long sweet potatoes have become the main crop grown in the winter crop of the commune, contributing to increasing income and improving the lives of farmers.

Realizing that Hoang Long sweet potatoes have many advantages, suitable for local soil, however, the area of potatoes grown in the commune is quite fragmented, the products after harvest have not been packaged and preserved, leading to the output market mainly depending on traders, not fully exploiting the potential of the product; implementing the National Target Program on building new rural areas, the Commune Farmers' Association has advised the Party Committee and the Commune People's Committee to decide to choose Hoang Long sweet potatoes as a strong product, building them into a local OCOP product.

Hoang Long sweet potato purchasing and processing facility of Ms. Kim Thi Thu Ha, Dai Noi village, Binh Dinh commune is sought after by many small traders to buy at high prices.

In 2023, the Commune People's Committee will continue to coordinate with Tuan Duong Production and Service Company Limited to develop a plan to purchase sweet potatoes in the field, produce and process them into packaged products with the ability to preserve them, and register traceability stamps for the products.

According to the plan, in the 2023 winter crop, the company will purchase 75% of Hoang Long sweet potato output in the commune to serve production; the product is expected to initially be supplied to supermarkets and clean food stores in and outside the province.

Recently, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh commune has guided Tuan Duong Production and Service Company Limited to complete the registration dossier, submit it to the People's Committee of Yen Lac district for consideration and evaluation of OCOP product classification for Hoang Long sweet potato products, and submit it to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and recognition of OCOP products in the coming time.

Currently, many households in Binh Dinh commune have opened facilities to purchase and process Hoang Long sweet potatoes for sale to traders, achieving high economic efficiency.

Ms. Kim Thi Thu Ha, owner of Hoang Long sweet potato purchasing and processing facility in Dai Noi village, said: “On average, each crop, the facility purchases about 30 tons of sweet potatoes for sale to wholesale markets, partly investing in machinery to roast and sell retail during the day to small traders. On average, one kilogram of sweet potatoes after roasting is purchased at 35,000 VND/kg, many times higher than buying at the field.

In the coming time, the facility will continue to invest in additional storage facilities to extend product preservation time from 5 to 6 months, meeting consumers' year-round product consumption needs."

Article and photos: Hoang Son

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