The effectiveness of the chili pepper farming model in Nhan Thinh.

In recent years, agricultural production in Nhan Thinh commune (Ly Nhan district) has undergone significant changes. Farmers have actively transformed their crop structure and plant varieties, increasing the value of their cultivated land. Notably, chili peppers have been chosen and widely cultivated by the people, proving highly effective.

On the banks of the Red River, in Lam Cau village – Bang Lam Cooperative, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh's chili pepper fields are lush and green, with some early-planted plots already yielding fruit. This crop will be planted around April of next year to avoid the hot summer weather which would hinder the chili peppers' growth. Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh said: "I rent the land for growing chili peppers from villagers who previously grew corn, under a 10-year contract at a rental price of 200-250 thousand VND/sao/year. I've maintained chili pepper production for eight years now, ensuring stability and economic efficiency."

Eight years ago, when deciding to invest in growing chili peppers, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh thoroughly researched this new crop, especially its adaptability to the local climate and soil. In reality, chili peppers are easy to care for and rarely suffer from pests or diseases. Fertilizer costs are not high, mainly organic fertilizer purchased from local farms and a small amount of phosphorus fertilizer applied at the beginning of the season. Overall, the cost of cultivating one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of chili peppers in one season (about 8-9 months, with a 2-year staggered planting cycle) is over 4 million VND, including: seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, plastic mulch, irrigation, and labor. Meanwhile, the yield of chili peppers reaches 500-700 kg/sao, selling at an average price of 25-30 thousand VND/kg. Thus, the production value of one sao of chili peppers is over 12 million VND, resulting in a profit of approximately 8 million VND after deducting costs. More importantly, the market for bird's eye chili products is quite good and diverse. Over 50% of Nguyen Tuan Anh's chili production is sold to processing and export businesses.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh shared: "Chili products sold to processing and export businesses require quality assurance, especially the absence of pesticide residues. Selling through this source ensures a minimum price of 25,000 VND/kg (even when the free market price is lower) and will increase when the market price rises. If sales to processing and export businesses remain stable, I will continue to lease land from local people to expand production."

The effectiveness of the chili pepper farming model in Nhan Thinh. — **The area where Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh grows chili peppers in Nhan Thinh commune (Ly Nhan district).**
Photo: Kimchi

Following the model of Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, another household in Nhan Thinh commune has started cultivating bird's eye chili peppers on nearly 10 hectares of high-lying rice paddy land. This is the first chili pepper crop in this model, and harvesting is beginning. Although newly developed, the model is well-invested, meets safety standards, and the main target market for the product is processing and exporting businesses. It is known that if production is successful, some households here may invest in building chili processing lines; thereby promoting linkages and expanding production scale with other households in the region. Given the success, it is hoped that bird's eye chili peppers will be a new direction to replace older, less valuable crops in the area.

Nhan Thinh commune has a fairly large production area of nearly 750 hectares, with 511 hectares specifically for annual crops. The local floodplain alone covers more than 150 hectares along the Red River. Currently, most of the land used for annual crops in the commune is still primarily used for rice and hybrid corn, which have low economic efficiency. The success of chili pepper cultivation in the commune opens up a new direction for development, helping to effectively exploit the potential of the land. Commenting on the chili pepper cultivation model in Nhan Thinh commune, Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Ly Nhan district, said: The production mindset of the people in Nhan Thinh in particular and in the district in general has changed through the increased application of science and technology and new crop varieties. At the same time, people are actively investing in land consolidation and developing large-scale production.

Comment (0)