Laos formed peanut growing area

Khong Lao has long been known as a land rich in national cultural identity, where the famous Then Kin Pang Festival takes place with many rich activities. In economic development, Khong Lao is also a locality that strongly develops livestock and poultry farming; is a rubber growing area; has a large rice growing area of the district and in recent years the commune has gradually formed a peanut growing area.

Ms. Pham Thi Nuong - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khong Lao Commune said: The results were achieved thanks to the commune's good propaganda and mobilization of people to carry out intensive farming and increase crops; integrating and coordinating the implementation of many peanut growing models, creating a basis for people to access new varieties as well as accumulate experience in planting and caring for peanuts effectively. Most of the peanut varieties that people are planting are white and red peanuts. Through the actual implementation of peanuts, it has been shown that they are very suitable for local natural conditions and climate. The growth and development period is short, the plants are easy to plant and care for, have few pests and diseases, and are suitable for planting on land with one rice crop.

People of Huoi Na village (Khong Lao commune) harvest peanuts.

Meanwhile, peanuts produce many tubers, large tubers, firm and plump seeds, bringing high yield, easy to sell, and quick capital recovery. This has urged people in the commune to maintain and expand the area over the years. Just counting this winter-spring crop, farmers in the commune have planted 8 hectares of peanuts. In addition to planting in Huoi Na village like every year, people also plant in Do and Co Muong villages. Small households plant a few hundred square meters, large households plant a few thousand square meters. At this time, most of the peanut area has solid seeds, farmers are taking advantage of favorable weather to focus on harvesting.

Ms. Lo Thi Phuong - a resident of Huoi Na village said, my family's 200m2 of land is located close to the road, higher than the fields of many other households in the village. It is difficult to bring water into the fields, most of them are only enough to grow rice in the summer-autumn season and then leave it fallow. Regretting the unused production land, for the past few years my family has planted peanuts in the winter-spring crop, and is very happy that the peanuts have grown well. This crop has a good peanut harvest, expected to yield nearly 200 kg of fresh peanuts, with a selling price of 20,000 VND/kg (an increase of 5,000 VND compared to 2024), my family will earn over 3 million VND in profit.

According to the people, the happiest thing about growing peanuts is that they do not have to worry about water shortages like when growing rice, and the output of peanuts is very stable. Traders buy peanuts as soon as they are harvested. The quantity of peanuts is mainly sold fresh at markets in the district and Lai Chau city. According to estimates, the commune's winter-spring peanut yield reaches 10 quintals/ha (an increase of 4.8 quintals/ha compared to 2024).

Taking advantage of the warm, sunny weather, households in Khong Lao commune help each other harvest peanuts to sell to traders.

Ms. Duong Thi Xoan - a resident of Huoi Na village confided, my family grows over 3,000m2 of peanuts, this area is close to the house, convenient for planting, weeding, and fertilizing, so my family has determined that this is a long-term crop. Every year, my family proactively prepares seeds, and plants around the end of November and the beginning of December. During the planting process, I pay attention to the stages of soil preparation, bed making, sowing seeds at the right distance, techniques, and even watering the plants in the first days of sowing seeds, increasing the germination rate. When the plants are bigger, weed, mound the roots carefully, and fertilize in a balanced manner. Now, the peanuts have many tubers, taking advantage of the warm sunshine, my family has focused on harvesting in the past few days. It is expected that my family will harvest about 500 kg of peanuts, and after selling, we will earn nearly 10 million VND.

It can be seen that growing peanuts is the right direction in economic development of the people of Khong Lao commune. This work not only helps people solve their work during the off-season, but also improves the soil; increases the number of planting seasons. In the coming time, Khong Lao commune will continue to guide and urge households to harvest peanuts according to the motto of preparing the land immediately after harvesting, preparing the land for the winter-spring rice crop. People are determined to diversify crops associated with the consumption market so that rice and peanuts will help people increase their income, aiming to improve and enhance the quality of life.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/kinh-te/khong-lao-hinh-thanh-vung-trong-lac-1084658