Acacia seedlings are "soaring in price," and nurseries are eagerly anticipating a second planting season.

In the last days of the year, in Thang Binh commune (Thanh Hoa), the working atmosphere in the seedling nurseries has become more bustling than usual. The price of acacia seedlings has been continuously increasing, while the supply is scarce, bringing obvious excitement to hundreds of households here.

People of An Phu village transport seedlings to traders.

From early morning to late afternoon, the nurseries are covered in vibrant green, glistening under plastic sheeting that provides shade and protection from rain, heralding a new and hopeful production season.

At the seedling nursery in An Phu village, dozens of workers are diligently at work, some mixing soil, others filling pots, sowing seeds, watering, and covering with plastic sheeting... Each step has its own rhythm, but all share the common goal of producing healthy acacia seedlings that meet the standards for sale.

Amidst the fragrant atmosphere of new soil, many people shared that it had been a long time since they had felt such a clear season of good prices like this year.

The acacia seedlings are growing well thanks to favorable weather.

Having been involved in the seedling nursery business since 2014, Mr. Le Van Hai (born in 1968, An Phu village) said that the price of acacia seedlings is currently at an unprecedentedly high level in recent years.

According to him, every year at this time, the southern provinces or some localities in the Southeast region have abundant sources of seedlings to supply to the market. However, this year, the impact of natural disasters and prolonged rains and floods has caused many production areas to suffer heavy damage, falling into a state of "seed shortage", making the supply scarce, so prices have increased sharply.

The villagers are rushing to prepare for the next planting season.

Currently, Mr. Hai's family manages approximately 1.2 hectares of nursery land, producing about 45 million acacia seedlings annually, supplying them to reforestation projects in many provinces and cities nationwide.

Previously, the selling price ranged from 500 to 800 VND per plant, generating revenue of approximately 2 billion VND per year. After deducting costs for land, seeds, labor, pesticides, and depreciation of materials, the remaining profit was around 800 million VND.

This year, with selling prices rising to between 1,000 and 1,500 VND per tree, Mr. Hai estimates his profit could reach 1 billion VND if the weather remains favorable.

According to Mr. Hai, the quality of seedlings largely determines the selling price and reputation of the nursery. Acacia seedlings taken from branches, especially those from the southern provinces, are preferred by many forest planting units because of their many advantages: fast growth, straight trunk, high productivity and shortened exploitation cycle.

While acacia trees grown from seeds take about 5 years to harvest, those grown from cuttings only take about 3 years. Therefore, despite the higher price, this variety is always in short supply.

Traders come to the nursery to finalize the price.

Not only long-time growers, but also many families who have recently joined the business are clearly feeling the positive impact. Ms. Le Thi Thoan's family (born in 1983) currently employs 7 local workers on a regular basis at their nursery.

Ms. Thoan shared that in recent months, thanks to the increase in the price of acacia seedlings and stable market demand, everyone has been enthusiastically going to the fields early in the morning. For many rural workers, this job helps them earn a stable income and avoid having to go far away to work.

However, according to Ms. Thoan, the seedling nursery business is highly dependent on weather conditions. Prolonged rain can cause root rot and leaf drop, forcing growers to increase costs for pesticides and labor.

During intensely sunny days, the plants grow quickly, but their stems struggle to reach the necessary thickness, affecting the quality of the seedlings. Therefore, while delighted with high prices, growers remain anxious, closely monitoring every weather development.

According to Mr. Dao Thanh Khiet, economic expert of Thang Binh commune, currently the whole commune has about 50 households working in the nursery business, mainly concentrated in Tan Giao, An Phu, Tan Dai and Ngu Thon Dai Ban villages, with a total area of ​​about 15 hectares. The nursery business is creating regular jobs for more than 100 local workers, and has been maintained and developed for more than 10 years.

Amidst the ever-changing pace of rural life, the lush green rows of young acacia trees not only bring hope for a bountiful harvest, but also provide a sustainable livelihood for many families. The high price of acacia seedlings brings joy, but more than anything, it is the motivation for the people of Thang Binh commune to continue to persevere in their profession.

Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/keo-giong-sot-gia-lang-uom-cay-khap-khoi-goi-vu-271300.htm