Farmers in this commune in Nghe An risk growing off-season squash, the fruit is rich in potassium, and as soon as they cut it, traders take it all away.

Off-season green squash fruit hangs heavily on the trellis, prices skyrocket

Previously, farmers mainly grew cassava and peanuts on the alluvial plains next to the Hieu River in Nghia Thinh Commune, Nghia Dan District, Nghe An Province. Traditional crops were ineffective, so people had to leave them fallow.

Farmers in Nghia Thinh commune, Nghia Dan district, Nghe An province are excited when the price of off-season squash increases. Photo: M.Th

Since 2022, Mr. Truong Xuan Nam's household (residing in Nghia Thinh commune, Nghia Dan district) has contracted more than 1.5 hectares of land to invest in growing green squash.

Every year, Mr. Nam's family grows two crops of squash. Spring-summer and autumn-winter. The main crop is a good harvest, but the price is not high, only reaching 5,000 to 7,000 VND/kg. In the summer-autumn crop of 2024, his family invested in growing off-season squash and the results were much better.

This year, Mr. Nam boldly invested in growing summer-autumn squash. At the beginning of the season, the weather was sunny, not favorable for squash to grow.

Luckily, when the squash flowers and bears fruit, the weather is very favorable. The squash plants compete to bear fruit on the trellis, the fruits hanging everywhere. Currently, the squash plants are being harvested. With an area of ​​1.5 hectares, his family earns nearly 200 million VND, from now until the end of the season, they will harvest 3 to 4 more crops.

Off-season green squash grown on the alluvial plain of Hieu River, Nghia Thinh Commune, Nghia Dan District, Nghe An Province. This year, off-season green squash yielded high yields, with the fruit hanging heavily on the trellis. Photo: M.Th

Mr. Nam shared: "The economic value of growing off-season squash is many times higher than that of growing in the main season. Off-season squash is also easier to sell.

Currently, we sell at the field price from 18,000 to 25,000 VND/kg. If the price of squash remains stable at this level, we will earn an average of more than 20 million VND per sao, many times more profitable than other vegetable crops."

Expanding squash growing area helps farmers increase income

This summer-autumn crop, Ms. Le Thi Ha’s family also planted 2 sao of green squash. Each harvest, she picked over 4 tons of green squash. With the current high price of green squash, Ms. Ha earned 65 million VND.

Farmers in Nghia Thinh commune, Nghia Dan district, Nghe An happily harvest off-season squash. Photo: M.Th

Ms. Ha shared: "Through training from the Commune Farmers' Association, before planting, I will soak the pumpkin seeds and cover them tightly. After a few days, the pumpkin seeds will germinate and can be sown directly or in plastic pots and then planted in the field...".

According to Ms. Ha, when the squash plant is 90 to 100cm tall, start making a trellis by placing the poles diagonally into a roof shape to take advantage of the space.

When the squash vine is climbing, it should be left in its natural position, without twisting or turning it upside down. Use banana rope or sticky rice straw to tie it neatly under the leaf axils and pin it to the trellis.

"And note, each tree has 2 or 3 main branches, each branch has 2 or 3 fruits. When the fruit is about 60 to 70 days old, you can start harvesting," Ms. Ha added.

This year, the price of off-season squash is high, from 18,000 to 25,000 VND/kg. Photo: M.Th

Nghia Thinh Commune, Nghia Dan District has more than 100 hectares of alluvial sand along the Hieu River, which is ineffective for growing crops. Recently, the local government has also sent people to study some models in other districts.

Through this, it is seen that squash is a short-term commodity crop with the highest income, especially when grown off-season. Therefore, the government encourages people to expand the area and continue to find suitable crop varieties to diversify crops, avoiding the situation of good harvest but low price.

Mr. Nguyen Van Trung - Vice Chairman of Nghia Thinh Commune People's Committee said: "In recent times, the people of Nghia Thinh Commune have boldly transformed the structure of seasonal crops, applied scientific and technical advances in production, and built many commodity economic models.

Over the implementation period, the locality has determined that squash is still a short-term commodity crop with the highest income. In the coming time, the locality will encourage people to expand production areas. At the same time, it will help people find stable sources of consumption, increasing the value of squash."

Nghia Thinh Commune, Nghia Dan District, Nghe An has more than 100 hectares of alluvial land on Hieu River. Currently, people have switched to growing green squash, which brings high value. Photo: M.Th

Green squash (also known as winter melon) is a vine commonly grown in our country. In addition to being used as a food, green squash is also a good medicine for health.

The composition of squash is mostly water, contains no lipids, with very low sodium content. Every 100g of squash has 0.4g of protein, 2.4g of glucid, 261mg of potassium, 19mg of calcium, 12mg of phosphorus, 0.3mg of iron and many other minerals...

Source: https://danviet.vn/lieu-trong-bi-xanh-trai-vu-qua-giau-kali-nong-dan-xa-nay-o-nghe-an-he-cat-la-thuong-lai-khuan-het-20241015134152499.htm