Sweet corn season in Chieng Sung

Coming to Chieng Sung commune these days, on the hillsides, farmers are busy harvesting sweet corn. Bags of corn are gathered along both sides of the road, waiting for buyers. The economic efficiency of sweet corn has helped many households here have a prosperous life.

Sweet corn hills in Chieng Sung commune.

Chieng Sung is one of the communes with the largest corn area in the province with over 1,500 hectares. In addition to hybrid corn and seed corn, in recent years, people have introduced sweet corn varieties for planting.

This spring-summer crop, the whole commune planted over 400 hectares of sweet corn. Although there was a lot of rain and some pests and diseases, thanks to experience in planting and caring for the crop, the local sweet corn yield was still guaranteed.

Corn is classified, packaged and shipped for consumption.

Ho Thi Ia's family is one of the first households in Yen Binh village to grow sweet corn. Previously, her family only grew local corn varieties for livestock and seed sales, with low economic efficiency. In 2019, Ia boldly switched to growing Viet Thai sweet corn varieties, with an area of nearly 5,000 ^m2 . Thanks to active care, the family's corn area has grown well, with an estimated yield of nearly 9 tons for the whole crop, selling price of 2,500 - 4,000 VND/kg, the family earned about 30 million VND/crop.

While quickly harvesting corn, Ms. Ia shared: Sweet corn is very easy to grow and requires little care, so for many years now, my family has grown it twice a year. Compared to corn for seeds that takes 4 months to harvest, sweet corn is harvested after just over 2 months of planting, traders come to the fields to buy fresh corn, without having to spend time peeling, separating the kernels, and drying it.

Farmers in Yen Binh village, Chieng Sung commune harvest sweet corn.

In recent years, the output of sweet corn products in Chieng Sung commune has been favorable, traders come to the fields to buy; in the commune, there are also a number of cooperatives that have joined together to sell products for the people.

Trung Hieu Organic Cooperative, Cang village, Chieng Sung commune, main business activity is agricultural product consumption. Since 2018, the Cooperative has cooperated with 370 households in the area to grow over 300 hectares of sweet corn.

Mr. Hoang Quoc Viet, Director of the Cooperative, said: The Cooperative coordinates with the locality to send technical staff to train people to produce and care for corn according to the correct process; organizes the signing of product consumption contracts with associated households. Currently, the Cooperative buys quality sweet corn at a price of 4,700 VND/kg. On average, each year, the Cooperative buys 5,000 tons of sweet corn, supplying to processing factories in Hai Phong .

Farmers carry corn to the assembly point.

Since 2021, Mr. Quang Van Tuan, Nong Son village, Chieng Sung commune, has converted all 4 hectares of cassava and corn to sweet corn and signed a consumption contract with Trung Hieu Organic Cooperative to consume all products. Mr. Tuan shared: By working with the Cooperative, his family was instructed on how to process seeds, plant beds, care for them, and prevent pests and diseases at the right time, so the corn grows well and is almost pest-free. This year, some plants yield 2 cobs, with an expected yield of 18 tons/ha. After harvesting, the Cooperative will buy them at a stable price, without having to worry about output. It is expected that this crop, the family will harvest 70 tons of corn, after deducting expenses, earning nearly 300 million VND. In addition to selling corn, corn stalks are used as a source of food for buffaloes and cows.

According to the assessment of growers, sweet corn does not require intensive cultivation, simple care techniques, grows well, is easy to care for, is resistant to pests and diseases, and develops in accordance with local climate and soil conditions; the plant stem is low, so it limits the risk of falling during cultivation. The average growth period of sweet corn is 70 days, 20-30 days shorter than other varieties, so it is convenient for intercropping and increasing crops; two crops can be grown a year. Sweet corn produces even, beautiful yellow grains, thin and sweet shells, suitable for processing, with an average yield of 17 tons/ha, and even in areas with convenient water sources, it can reach 20 tons/ha. Harvesting is done when the plants are still green, so they can be used as animal feed or fertilizer for the next crop.

Corn is purchased to be shipped to the provinces.

Mr. Tong Van Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Chieng Sung Commune, informed: With outstanding advantages in productivity, sweet corn is being prioritized by local people to grow and expand the area, bringing good income to farmers. Aiming for effective and sustainable production, the commune mobilizes people to invest in quality seeds, expand suitable areas; at the same time, calls on capable enterprises and cooperatives to develop concentrated raw material areas, and link up to find outlets for product consumption.

Putting sweet corn into production not only increases economic efficiency per unit of cultivated land area, increases farmers' income, but also forms a method of commodity production, diversifying agricultural products for purely agricultural communes like Chieng Sung.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/mua-ngo-ngot-chieng-sung-HgmaebUNR.html