Krong Pa: Farmers are excited because tobacco has a good harvest and good price.

Joy from the fields

In the last days of April, in the tobacco fields of Chu Drang commune, the harvest atmosphere is bustling. While busy harvesting the mature leaves, Mr. Nay Le (Chu Krih hamlet) happily shared: "My family grows 1 hectare of tobacco. Thanks to proper investment in care, the plants grow and develop very well. Currently, I have harvested more than 70% of the area, estimated at more than 4 tons of dry matter/ha, about 5 quintals/ha higher than last year."

In Suoi Cam hamlet (Chu Drang commune), Mr. Ksor Bin also excitedly said: “Tobacco is a short-term industrial crop with high economic value. This crop, my family planted about 2.5 hectares, the yield at the beginning of the harvest is estimated at more than 4 tons of dry tobacco/ha, 4-5 quintals higher than the previous crop. Currently, the selling price is nearly 70,000 VND/kg of dry tobacco, after deducting expenses, the family estimates a profit of over 250 million VND”.

People string tobacco to put in the drying kiln. **Photo: Le Nam**

According to statistics, this year's tobacco crop, people in Chu Drang commune planted more than 380 hectares, and up to now, about 75% of the area has been harvested.

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngát (Ka To hamlet, Chu Gu commune) said: "My family grows a total of 7.5 hectares of tobacco. The yield is 4 tons/ha. Last crop, I estimated that investing in 1 hectare of tobacco cost about 180 million VND. So after deducting investment costs, I earned a profit of about 100 million VND/ha."

Towards sustainable production and export

In the 2024-2025 Winter-Spring crop, the entire Krong Pa district will produce about 2,600 hectares of tobacco, of which brown tobacco is over 238 hectares. In order to increase farmers' income, Krong Pa district is focusing on planning and sustainably developing tobacco raw material areas. The focus is on coordinating with investment units to help farmers access technical advances to improve productivity and product quality, especially protecting the environment in the production process.

In particular, this year is the third year that Krong Pa district has coordinated with domestic tobacco factories to test and replicate the model of producing high-quality tobacco plants; developing cigar tobacco varieties, aiming at the export market.

People of Chu Gu commune harvest tobacco. **Photo: Le Nam**

Mr. Au Thanh Trung - Director of the District Agricultural Service Center - said: "Previously, people used inappropriate fertilizers, so tobacco had very low nicotine content, not meeting export standards. After 3 years of applying new techniques and varieties, the nicotine content of tobacco plants was 2.4, the second year it increased to 2.6 (this year there are no results yet). The district is also developing cigar varieties, but it needs time to evaluate the yield and quality."

Another positive result is that Krong Pa district has coordinated with Thanh Hoa tobacco factory to successfully test a 100% electric tobacco drying kiln. This result not only helps save production costs, ensuring that the dried tobacco meets export quality standards, but also solves the problem of environmental pollution, limiting the use of forest firewood for tobacco drying. "The district People's Committee has directed the Center to summarize each year. We aim to use career and agricultural resources to train people to get used to switching from dried Brown tobacco to dried Yellow tobacco. People who are drying with firewood will switch to 100% electric drying to increase the price of tobacco, while not affecting the environment" - Director of the Agricultural Service Center of Krong Pa district informed more.

People prepare to put tobacco leaves into the drying oven. **Photo: Le Nam**

According to Mr. Vo Ngoc Chau - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Krong Pa district: Through assessment, the average yield of the district is about 3 tons/ha (about 2 quintals/ha higher than the previous crop), in some areas with good care, it can reach 4-4.5 tons/ha. The output of tobacco products is also very stable, the price of dried tobacco fluctuates from 65-70 thousand VND/kg.

“The 2024-2025 Winter-Spring tobacco crop in Krong Pa not only brings joy of a good harvest and good prices to farmers but also opens up prospects for sustainable development, towards export. Krong Pa district has successfully built the brand “Krong Pa-Gia Lai Tobacco”. In addition, the quality of raw tobacco in Krong Pa is rated the highest in the country due to its high nicotine content. With support from local authorities, professional units and businesses, tobacco is affirming its important role in increasing income, improving people's lives and promoting local economic development,” Mr. Chau added.