Quite thanks to growing lotus

Last year, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the average lotus yield was relatively low, estimated at 1-2 quintals per hectare. However, the price of lotus seeds at harvest time was quite high, averaging 55-60 thousand VND per kilogram. Mr. Tran Diep in An Hoa ward affirmed that growing lotus brings economic efficiency to his family and many households. In the 2022 lotus crop alone, each sao of lotus brings an average income of 12 million VND. Thus, each hectare brings an income of 240 million VND/year.

Mr. Tran Van Thi in An Hoa ward shared that after the main crop harvest, taking advantage of the lake surface, his family renovated the pond to grow lotus in the off-season with an area of nearly 1 hectare. Although the off-season yield and income were not as high as the main crop, the income per unit area of lotus cultivation increased. Thanks to the lotus seed growing profession, in recent years, many farming households in An Hoa have stabilized their lives, having the conditions to develop their family economy in the process of building an increasingly high standard of living for urban farmers.

Ms. Le Thi Thanh Tam, Vice President of the An Hoa Ward Farmers' Association, informed that up to now, the lotus growing area in the ward is 10.57 hectares, with 24 participating households (an increase of 4 households, nearly 3 hectares compared to 2022). To promote the development of lotus growing, the An Hoa Ward Farmers' Association mobilized good farmers and businesses to participate in establishing a good farmers' production club.

The club members are farmers in many fields such as growing lotus for seeds, ornamental plants, business, services, etc. The members participating in the lotus seed growing model were supported by the Provincial Farmers' Association with 23 million VND to buy fertilizer for production. The Hue City Farmers' Association supported 150 million VND to 5 households from the Farmers' Support Fund to overcome difficulties and restore production.

Through the club, lotus growers are trained, exchanged, shared experiences, techniques, and pest control. Since its launch, the club has organized nearly 20 meetings to exchange and share experiences and encourage households to participate in implementing the model.

Notably, in 2022, in order to increase the efficiency and quality of the lotus seed growing model, the An Hoa Ward Farmers' Association invited Mr. Le Minh Tri - Head of Plant Protection Department of the Provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection to directly monitor the development, care and pest control process on lotus plants for the entire area of households participating in the club. The Association also invited representatives of Saigon Plant Protection Company to the facility to collect samples of plants with anthracnose to study prevention methods, in order to bring economic efficiency to households. Through inspections and guidance sessions by technical staff, lotus growers have more conditions and opportunities to improve their techniques in implementing the lotus seed growing model.

Earlier this year, the club organized a sharing and exchange of experiences in production and connecting product consumption between lotus growers and two lotus product businesses, Hue Viet Organic Company Limited and Moc Truly Company Limited. At the same time, it connected with Mr. Truong Duy Hoa - a member of the Central-level excellent farmer and business association on the lotus seed growing model in Phong Dien to meet and check the situation of pests and diseases on lotus plants to share and exchange useful experiences in lotus seed production.

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