(LĐ online) - With only three weeks left until the Lunar New Year 2025, watermelon farmers in Da Huoai district are busy tending their fields to supply the Tet market.
 |
| Watermelons are grown intensively in the fields at the Hoai Nhon intersection. |
These days, traveling along provincial road DT.721 through Da Teh town and the communes of An Nhon and Da Lay, you will easily spot lush green melon fields, where people are busy tending to produce delicious, high-quality melons in time for the Tet holiday market.
In Da Teh town, in preparation for this year's Tet market, farmers have planted over 80 hectares of watermelons since the beginning of October according to the lunar calendar.
 |
| From 6 a.m., people were already out in the fields watering the melons. |
At the Hoai Nhon intersection field (Residential Area 10, Da Teh town), from 6 a.m., people were already present to water and fertilize their melon crops for Tet (Lunar New Year). This is also one of the areas with the largest concentrated melon cultivation area in the locality.
The family of Mr. Nong Van Nghiep (Da Teh town) is currently actively tending to their watermelons to ensure they are plump and ready for market. This year, Mr. Nghiep planted 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of watermelons, including 1 sao of yellow watermelons and 3 sao of the 159 variety. As in previous years, he and other farmers are hoping for a bountiful harvest with good prices so that their families can have a warmer and more prosperous New Year.
 |
| At this time, many of the farmers' melon fields already have melons weighing over 5 kg, and they will reach over 10 kg when harvested. |
 |
| The 159 melon variety grown in Da Huoai has an attractive color and is highly regarded for its quality. |
Mr. Nghiep said that the melons are now 50 days old, and he is currently securing the vines and pruning the tops. Each melon currently weighs 4-5 kg and will reach 8-10 kg/fruit, or even 12-15 kg at harvest if well cared for. With over 20 years of experience in melon cultivation, Mr. Nong Van Nghiep said that growing melons is perhaps the most laborious of all crops, but in return, the cultivation time is shorter than rice, the selling price is stable, the yield is high, and there are fewer pests and diseases, especially in the winter-spring season.
"This land is considered suitable for growing high-quality melon varieties, so traders have started coming to the orchards to finalize prices and place deposits. The melons are dark green, large, round, and visually appealing, with thin skins and a sweet, refreshing taste, perfect for the Tet holiday celebrations in the South," Mr. Nghiep added.
 |
| Some traders have even placed orders with farmers to grow more yellow watermelons, in order to diversify the products available for the Tet market. |
In recent years, people have also improved their care processes, using agricultural mulch at the base of the plants and digging drainage ditches for infiltration irrigation. This method significantly reduces the time spent watering each day.
According to statistics from the Da Teh Town Farmers' Association, the area planted with watermelons for Tet this year has decreased compared to last year, mainly focusing on growing the 159 watermelon variety to meet the demand for Tet decorations.
 |
| Yellow watermelons have a striking color, making them suitable for the traditional Lunar New Year celebration. |
This year, the situation regarding the consumption of Tet melons seems more optimistic. Although it's still quite a while until harvest time, traders have already come to the orchards to place deposits and purchase the entire crop, with the lowest price currently being over 5,000 VND/kg for melons weighing 3 kg or more.
 |
| Many melon farms use agricultural mulch at the base of the plants for drip irrigation, saving time on maintenance. |
According to the Da Huoai District Department of Agriculture, this year the entire district planted over 100 hectares of watermelons to serve the Tet market. Most farmers still chose varieties that produce good fruit and high yields, concentrated mainly in Da Teh town and An Nhon commune. This model brings high economic efficiency to farmers; after about two months of growing watermelons, they can earn a profit of 13-15 million VND per sao (approximately 1000 square meters). At the same time, it helps create jobs for rural laborers.
Source: http://baolamdong.vn/kinh-te/202501/nong-dan-da-huoai-cham-chut-vu-dua-tet-e242a22/
Comment (0)