The potato season is not a happy one.

- In recent years, potatoes have been grown by many farmers in the province during the winter-spring season. However, this year's potato crop has not met expectations, with reduced yields and low selling prices.

Residents of Ky Lua ward harvest and sort potatoes.

These days, visiting the fields of Po La village, Loc Binh commune, we easily see people busy harvesting potatoes. Unlike the hustle and bustle of previous harvests, this year the farmers' faces clearly show signs of worry.

Mr. Hoang Van Theo from Po La village shared: "This year, due to the weather, the potato plants suffered from root rot and stem rot. My family had to harvest about 15 days early, resulting in uneven tubers, many small ones, and a selling price of only 1,000 - 5,000 VND/kg. Furthermore, the price of potatoes this year also decreased by 2,000 - 3,000 VND/kg, so my family only earned about 10 million VND. This year, the price of fertilizer and potato seeds is high, so the money earned only covers the costs; it's like working for free."

Not only Mr. Theo's family, but many households in Loc Binh commune are facing a similar situation. Mr. Nguyen Van Tuyen, Head of the Economic Department of Loc Binh commune, said: "In the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop season, farmers throughout the commune planted 90 hectares of potatoes. Over the past period, we have proactively advised and coordinated with relevant units to organize many training courses on potato care and disease prevention for farmers. However, due to weather conditions, potato plants are still suffering from some root and leaf diseases. Currently, as we enter the peak harvest season, the average yield throughout the commune is estimated at 160 quintals/hectare, a decrease of about 5% compared to last year."

Not only in Loc Binh commune, but potato farmers in other localities in the province are also unhappy because this year the price of potatoes is low and the yield has decreased compared to last year. Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, a veteran potato farmer in Ky Lua ward, said: "In recent years, my family has always maintained the area planted with potatoes in the winter-spring season. Last year, with 1 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of potatoes, my family harvested over 1 ton of tubers, but this year we only harvested about 800 kg. The price of potatoes this year is also only from 1,000 to 5,000 VND/kg (depending on the type of tuber), a decrease of 2,000 to 3,000 VND/kg compared to last year. This season is practically unprofitable."

According to statistics from the authorities, in the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop season, people throughout the province planted approximately 950 hectares of potatoes, mainly German varieties. This area is largely concentrated in communes with a tradition of potato cultivation such as Loc Binh, Mau Son, Khanh Khe, and Ky Lua ward... However, from the very beginning of the season, the weather was unfavorable for farmers. Prolonged rains accompanied by consistently high humidity created ideal conditions for the development of late blight and root rot, causing many potato fields to yellow, rot, and spread rapidly. Faced with this situation, many households were forced to harvest 10-15 days earlier to minimize losses, resulting in uneven quality and size of tubers. Although complete statistics are not yet available, observations show that potato yields decreased by about 2-3 quintals per sao (approximately 200-300 kg per 1000 square meters) compared to the previous season.

Besides weather conditions, this year's harvest coincided with the potato harvest in several other provinces, leading to increased supply. Furthermore, the limited linkage between potato growers and businesses or cooperatives in product consumption means that when the peak harvest season arrives, the amount of potatoes on the market increases, and without guaranteed purchase contracts, the selling price is easily affected by supply and demand.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Thai, a potato trader from Hanoi, said: "Every year, I come to the communes in the former Loc Binh district to buy potatoes. This year, the price drop is unavoidable due to the quality of the tubers being affected by pests and diseases; many tubers are small and not visually appealing. On average, I buy 5-8 tons per day to transport to distributors in Hanoi, but I also have to be more selective in my purchasing to meet market demand."

In the coming period, for potato cultivation to truly bring economic benefits to farmers, a coordinated effort from all levels of government, relevant agencies, and the people themselves is essential. This includes focusing on orienting production areas appropriately, strengthening the application of scientific and technological advancements in cultivation to improve the plant's resistance to pests and diseases. In particular, the province needs policies to attract businesses to invest in the processing and consumption of agricultural products, including potatoes... Only then can potato growers confidently invest in production and no longer worry every time the harvest season arrives.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/mua-khoai-tay-kem-vui-5082794.html