Cassava farmers suffer double losses.

“This year’s cassava crop is a complete loss. I only earned enough to cover the land rent, and I’m losing a lot on labor, fertilizer, and other expenses,” shared Mr. Tong Quang Thong from Tan Thanh commune, Dong Xoai city. This is also the common situation for many cassava farmers in the province.

Piles of cassava stalks are stacked high like mountains at cassava processing facilities and factories; cassava fields remain unharvested despite being ready for harvest. A bitter cassava season for cassava farmers in Binh Phuoc .

At the beginning of the 2024-2025 cassava crop season, falling prices, coupled with crop failure, resulted in significant losses for cassava farmers. Farmers in Binh Phuoc province were no exception. Current purchase prices range from 1,800-1,900 VND/kg for 30% starch content. Compared to the previous crop season, prices have decreased by 40-50%.

The sharp drop in noodle prices has caused heavy losses for many households.

For the 2024-2025 cassava crop season, Mr. Do Van Sang in Hamlet 6, Minh Lap Commune, Chon Thanh Town, planted 50 hectares of high-yield cassava. Before the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake, due to the drop in cassava prices, Mr. Sang only harvested about 30 hectares, leaving the remaining 20 hectares to be sold after the holiday. “I guessed the price of cassava would increase after the holiday because in previous years, the price was usually higher. But unexpectedly, this year the price dropped sharply after the holiday and is expected to fall even further,” Mr. Sang shared.

Pointing to the towering piles of cassava at the factory, Mr. Sang said: "Every year, there isn't enough cassava for the factories in this area to produce, but this year there's a huge surplus. We are large, long-standing partners, so they still buy from us, but small-scale farmers have no market. Not only that, the weather has affected the starch content and yield of cassava this year, which is lower than in previous years. Farmers are suffering double losses."

Cassava farmers are worried about the situation of unsold cassava with no buyers.

Mr. Vu Thanh Long, residing in Hamlet 8, Tan Thanh Commune, said: "This year, I also went to harvest cassava in many gardens throughout the province. The weather was scorching hot, so most cassava gardens suffered losses compared to the previous season. Moreover, the price of cassava has dropped too low, so garden owners are not as enthusiastic as in previous years. In general, cassava growers are suffering losses this year."

Having grown cassava for over 10 years, this is the first season that Mr. Tong Quang Thong in Hamlet 6, Tan Thanh Commune, has suffered heavy losses. According to Mr. Thong, with the current plummeting cassava prices, his 200 hectares of cassava will result in a loss of 3-4 billion VND.

A large quantity of noodles is stockpiled at a noodle manufacturing business in Minh Lap commune, Chon Thanh town.

Regarding the reasons for the sharp drop in cassava prices, Mr. Thong attributed it to decreased demand from domestic cassava starch processing factories, especially difficulties in the export market. "Now, factories still accept the cassava, but the flour can't be exported. Farmers have suffered too many losses. Now, we hope the government will find solutions to support export businesses so that cassava growers can have hope," Mr. Thong stated.

Currently, Taiwan, China, and the Philippines are the three largest importers of Vietnamese noodles. According to the Import-Export Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), in 2024, China's demand for noodles and noodle products slowed down, while Vietnam's noodle exports still heavily depend on the Chinese market, failing to take advantage of opportunities to expand export markets to EU countries, South Korea, Japan, the US, and others.

According to cassava farmers in the province, every year, the supply of fresh cassava is insufficient to meet the demand of cassava starch production facilities. However, this year, some factories are only purchasing in small quantities. “In previous years, cassava was expensive, so traders from many provinces and cities came to the factories to pick up goods, but this year no one is coming to buy. For example, at the factory where I work, the starch isn't selling, so there's a lot of unsold inventory. Cassava producers are in dire straits,” said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc An from Hamlet 7, Minh Lap Commune.

Farmers are harvesting cassava to prepare for planting the new crop season with renewed hope.

Mr. Thong said: "Compared to the 2023-2024 crop season, the price of cassava this year has decreased by 40-50%. Hopefully, next year will bring good prices and a good harvest so that farmers will suffer less." As for Mr. Sang: "We are gathering seeds to plant a new crop. We hope that next season the price of cassava will be good so that farmers can recoup their capital."

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/4/170221/nguoi-trong-mi-thiet-hai-kep