Farmers in a commune in Nghe An earn 300 million VND/ha from growing sugarcane for refreshment.

Clip; Xuan Hoang

Since the beginning of April, especially during the hot days of early May, farmers in Thinh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An) have been busy harvesting sugarcane to squeeze out juice to supply the soft drink market.

In Trang Kieu hamlet, the working atmosphere starts at 4am in the sugarcane fields. Locals said that summer is also the time to harvest sugarcane to squeeze out juice for refreshment.

Mia 11 — During the sugarcane juice harvest season, people in Thinh Thanh commune often exchange labor to support each other, reducing hardship and costs. Photo: Xuan Hoang

After 3 hours, Mr. Phan Van Thu and 15 other workers finished harvesting 2 sao of sugarcane. The bundles of golden sugarcane with large, straight stalks were neatly stacked waiting for traders to come and buy.

“For nearly a month now, we have been taking turns harvesting sugarcane every day. The hot weather makes the sugarcane very sweet and sells for a good price. Every day we sell tons of sugarcane, the price at the field is from 3.5 to 4 million VND/ton. Each sao yields 3.5 to 4 tons, earning about 15 million VND,” Mr. Thu happily shared.

Mia 12 — The joy of sugarcane farmers squeezing sugarcane juice during harvest season. Photo: Xuan Hoang

With nearly 4 sao of sugarcane, this crop, Mr. Thu's family earned nearly 60 million VND - an income many times higher than growing corn, potatoes or beans like before.

Not only Mr. Thu's family, in Hung My hamlet, the atmosphere of harvesting sugarcane to squeeze out the juice is also bustling. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuyen said: "Each bundle of sugarcane weighing 30 kg is tied tightly, gathered on the main road waiting for cars to come and buy. To deliver to refreshment spots in the morning, people have to work from early morning."

Mia 4 — Farmers weigh 30 kg/bundle of harvested sugarcane right in the field. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phong - Chairman of the People's Committee of Thinh Thanh commune, sugarcane juice, also known as soft drink sugarcane, has been cultivated by local people for more than 10 years. Unlike other areas that grow sugarcane as raw material for sugar factories or to make molasses at the end of the year, Thinh Thanh sugarcane serves the soft drink market, so the harvest season starts in April and lasts until September. This is the time of the hot summer, so people have a hard time.

“Currently, the whole commune has about 87 hectares of sugarcane for juice extraction. On average, 1 hectare of sugarcane yields about 300 million VND, so each year the people in the commune have a revenue of tens of billions of VND - a dream number for the local agricultural model. If calculated on a unit area, sugarcane for juice extraction gives the highest income for the crops in the commune today,” said Mr. Phong.

Mia 7 — Sugarcane fields are well cared for. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Sugarcane for juice extraction has strict requirements: large, beautiful, juicy, sweet and straight stems. Therefore, during the entire care process, farmers not only have to weed and fertilize regularly, but also have to prune leaves, check for pests regularly, and make high beds, using wooden stakes to prevent them from falling. Sugarcane by-products are also used as feed for buffaloes and cows, increasing farming efficiency.

Mia 16 — After weighing and tying the sugarcane tightly, people transport it ashore. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Sugarcane is considered an easy-to-grow crop, low-cost, with few pests and diseases, suitable for many types of soil. With a yield of 3-4 tons/sao and a stable selling price, growers earn an average of 300 million VND/ha, much higher than traditional crops. This model not only thrives in Yen Thanh district, but also spreads to many localities such as Do Luong, Anh Son, Dien Chau, Tan Ky, Nghia Dan, etc.

Mia 10 (1) — Farmers in Thinh Thanh commune gather sugarcane on major roads waiting for traders to come and buy. Photo: Xuan Hoang

With clear economic efficiency, Thinh Thanh commune is continuing to mobilize people to convert ineffective rice growing areas to sugarcane growing for juice extraction. This is a sustainable direction, adapting well to climate change and turning the need to quench summer thirst into a stable source of income for farmers.

Mia 14 (1) — Sugarcane fields for juice pressing in Thinh Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc - Head of the Provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection said: The sugarcane that people in the province often grow for juice is the QD931-59 variety. The total area of sugarcane for juice in the province is currently about 170 hectares, most concentrated in Yen Thanh district with 166 hectares; the rest is in other districts such as Nghia Dan, Quy Hop, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong... In addition, some areas use sugarcane molasses to squeeze for soft drinks, but due to low water content and hardness, it is not effective.