Making a fortune in low-lying areas.

Instead of sticking to rice cultivation on low-lying, unproductive land, the family of Ms. Tran Thi Truc Linh in Hamlet 8, Thoi Hung Commune, Can Tho City, boldly switched to a crop rotation model of lotus cultivation and fish farming. This astute change not only helped her family create a stable income by accurately meeting market demands but also significantly increased production value.

Ms. Linh's lotus farming model in Thoi Hung commune.

Market "anticipation" tactics

With 12 acres of land dedicated to growing lotus seeds, Ms. Linh's family is entering the peak harvest season. The price of lotus seeds is currently quite high, ranging from 35,000 to 36,000 VND per kilogram. Every two days, Ms. Linh's family harvests 300-500 kg of lotus seeds. Thanks to stable yields and favorable prices, this model brings in a profit of around 200 million VND per year, significantly higher than their previous rice farming. Furthermore, the family's income has increased considerably by utilizing the water surface for crop rotation, growing lotus and raising fish fry.

Ms. Linh said: “I only cultivate lotus once a year; the rest of the time, the lotus fields are used for raising fish fry. This crop rotation helps the lotus achieve high yields, reduces pests and diseases, and the fish also yield high and stable production. Most importantly, the products I produce sell at a high price because I proactively understand market demand.”

To optimize profits, Ms. Linh meticulously planned her lotus cultivation schedule. Each year, she begins planting lotus seeds around the 7th lunar month. By the 10th lunar month, the lotus fields begin to yield a harvest, which continues through the Lunar New Year until April of the following year. This is the period of high market demand, ensuring that lotus seeds always fetch a good price. Immediately after the lotus season ends (April of the lunar calendar), she removes the lotus plants and buys fry to raise into fingerlings. Supplying fingerlings during the flood season ensures timely delivery to meet the needs of rice paddy fish farmers in the Mekong Delta.

Ms. Linh's family primarily breeds carp and tilapia. Each breeding season yields approximately 3 tons of fingerlings, selling them at 65,000-75,000 VND/kg. After deducting expenses, her family earns an income of 40-50 million VND. In addition to income from fingerlings in their lotus pond, her family also has a 7,000m² pond used for raising carp to supply the market during Tet (Lunar New Year), especially around the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month. Each year, her family supplies over 1 ton of carp to the market, selling at an average price of around 50,000 VND/kg. When not raising carp, the family uses this pond to produce fingerlings of catfish, snakehead fish, and other fish species in high demand, thus providing them with a substantial additional income.

Awakening challenging lands with a spirit of progress.

The economic success of Ms. Linh's family stems not only from focusing on production aligned with market demand but also from their keen ability to grasp information and knowledge to adapt crops and livestock to local conditions. Ms. Linh and her husband, Mr. Ho Van Tuan, are hardworking, diligent, and always strive for progress and improvement in life.

Ms. Linh's family owns 17 acres of agricultural land, previously used for rice cultivation. Despite intensive farming practices, cultivating three crops per year, their income remained quite low. Through practical experience, Ms. Linh and her husband realized that their land was located in a low-lying area, resulting in higher investment costs compared to other places, while rice yields consistently fell short of expectations. The recurring cycle of "low yield, low price" meant their income was always precarious, and some rice crops even resulted in no profit.

Faced with the reality of inefficient rice cultivation, Ms. Linh's family decided to find a way to switch from rice to other more suitable crops and livestock to improve production efficiency on the same land area and increase income. After researching, they realized that the model of growing lotus for its seeds was very economically effective in the locality, so Ms. Linh discussed it with her husband and decided to implement the lotus cultivation model. Ten years ago, they experimented with growing lotus on their first 7 acres and achieved success. Building on this success, Ms. Linh decided to re-plan all 17 acres of land: 12 acres were converted to a rotational model of growing lotus and raising fish fry; and the 7 acres from the initial experiment were converted to a model specializing in producing fish fry and raising carp for the Lunar New Year.

Ms. Linh stated that the crop rotation model between lotus and fish creates a "double benefit" in both economic and environmental aspects. After being used to raise fish fry, the lotus pond helps eliminate disease-causing pathogens and creates favorable conditions for the lotus plants to be replanted in the next season, resulting in higher yields, better product quality, and fewer pests and diseases. This not only helps the family reduce production costs but also minimizes the use of pesticides for both lotus and fish – moving towards a clean and safe farming process.

Text and photos: KHANH TRUNG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/lam-giau-tren-vung-dat-trung-a197558.html