These days, in the fields of Sau Dinh in Hamlet 3, Nghi Thach Commune (Nghi Loc District), farmers are busy harvesting cantaloupe. This year, the weather has been favorable, resulting in a bumper crop of cantaloupe with large, uniform, and beautiful fruits. Mr. Nguyen Ba Lam from Hamlet 3, Nghi Thach Commune, said: “My family cultivates 2 sao (approximately 2,000 square meters) of cantaloupe. On average, each sao yields an income of 15-17 million VND. Cantaloupe has a short growing season, requires little care, fetches a high price, and, importantly, is easy to sell because it is grown in few places.”
According to Mr. Hoang Duc Thang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Thach commune, previously, musk melons were widely grown in hamlets 8 and 3, covering an area of 3-5 hectares. However, in recent years, residents of hamlet 8 have stopped growing musk melons due to working in factories. Currently, only residents of hamlet 3 maintain musk melon cultivation with an area of over 1 hectare.
“This area is planned for specialized cultivation of melons: cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon. The sandy soil is very suitable for honeydew melons, which are a local variety. We save our own seeds for planting. Honeydew melons are sown in February and harvested in early April. This year, the harvest coincided with the peak of the hot season, so the prices were very good, and traders came directly to the fields to buy them,” Mr. Thang said.
Currently, the price of melons at the farm is 18,000 - 20,000 VND/kg, while farmers sell them at the market for 27,000 - 30,000 VND/kg. Each large melon, weighing about 1.5-2 kg, sells for 40,000 - 50,000 VND, higher than in previous years. On average, each plot of land planted with melons yields an income of 18-20 million VND, resulting in a net profit of 10 million VND after deducting expenses, which is 7-8 times higher than growing rice.
At this time, people in Dien Bien Hamlet, Nghi Huong Ward (Cua Lo Town) are also urgently harvesting cantaloupes to sell to traders and tourists . This year, the cantaloupe crop is abundant and the prices are good, so the people are very happy.
“Last year, melons only cost 10,000-12,000 VND/kg, but this year, due to the hot weather, the price of honeydew melons has increased sharply, reaching 15,000-20,000 VND/kg. Every day, I buy about 100 kg of honeydew melons from farmers, supplying both wholesalers in Vinh and selling them at local markets,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh, a trader.
With hot weather and high demand, coupled with limited land for growing cantaloupe, and the fact that it can only be grown in Nghi Thach commune (Nghi Loc district) and Nghi Huong ward (Cua Lo town), supply is insufficient to meet demand. This year, even as the melons were just beginning to turn yellow, many traders had already placed orders for entire fields at high prices.
"Currently, many people are calling to inquire about the melons, but they've all been sold. With this hot weather, the melons are very popular with tourists, and beverage stalls are constantly placing orders, but in just a few more days, the entire melon field will be finished with the harvest," said Ms. Dao Thi Hoa, a melon farmer in Nghi Huong ward.
In addition, the completed and operational coastal road running through Nghi Huong ward has helped local people sell their melons directly from the fields at high prices. After harvesting them from the fields, they can sell them right at this roadside spot to passersby, which also fetches a good price.
Although it's a refreshing summer fruit, the harvest time is very short (only about 7-10 days) and completely dependent on the weather. If it rains when the melons are ready for harvest, they have to be thrown away because they crack and rot.
Therefore, despite high prices, high economic efficiency, and easy marketability, it is still difficult to expand the area for growing muskmelon.
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