Farmers in Nghe An earn a good income from growing 'giant' honey gourds.

In recent years, farmers in Thuan Son commune (Do Luong district) have been growing honey gourds on alluvial land, yielding a good income. On average, each gourd sells for 50,000 to 70,000 VND.

The alluvial plains along the Lam River in Thuan Son commune are always covered in a lush green carpet of vegetables, with different crops depending on the season. As May approaches, the fields and farmlands here are always bustling with vehicles and people harvesting agricultural products.

Thuan Son commune maintains over 200 hectares of vegetable crops on the alluvial land along the Lam River. Photo: HT

Mr. Duong Phuc Phap's farm in Thuan Dong hamlet spans a considerable area of ​​nearly 17 hectares, filled with various kinds of vegetables, roots, and fruits. This season, more than 20 workers are busy harvesting gourds and pumpkins.

Nguyen Trong Tuan, a worker who has been working on Mr. Phap's fields for many years, said that it is currently the peak season for harvesting gourds. Among them, the honey gourd variety is highly valuable.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Tuan harvests and delivers gourds and pumpkins. Photo: HT

These gourds weigh between 8 and 10 kg each and always sell well, selling out as soon as they are harvested, with an average price of 6,000-7,000 VND/kg. Each ripe honey gourd, with its skin turning yellow, is harvested and sold to traders for an average of 50,000-70,000 VND per fruit.

To ensure timely harvesting of gourds, pumpkins, and vegetables, during peak season, Mr. Duong Phuc Phap hires about 40 workers to both harvest and deliver goods, mainly supplying eateries, restaurants, schools, and markets in Thuan Son commune and neighboring communes.

Farmers in Thuan Son commune harvest honey gourds. Photo: HT

Honey gourd is a new variety that the people of Thuan Son have introduced for cultivation. Although it has only been a few years, it has shown superior economic efficiency compared to other gourd varieties, with a yield of about 25 tons/ha. Honey gourds are harvested twice a year.

Besides honey gourds, farmers in Thuan Son also grow other gourd varieties such as bottle gourds, peanut gourds, and golden coin gourds... Photo: HT

According to residents of Thuan Son commune, the seeds of this type of honey gourd are quite expensive, ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 VND per seed. However, the germination rate is high and the selling price of the fruit is stable, mainly bought directly from the fields by traders and supplied to confectionery and jam production facilities, or to restaurants and hotels. Besides honey gourds, people also grow many other types of gourds such as peanut gourds and golden coin gourds.

Residents of Thuan Dong hamlet harvest gourds. Photo: HT

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Loi, Secretary of the Party Committee of Thuan Son commune, vegetable farming is one of the key economic development areas in Thuan Son commune. Among these, gourds, pumpkins, and corn are dominant, providing stable income. Currently, the people of Thuan Son maintain over 200 hectares of corn. This includes 118 hectares of winter corn and 32 hectares of sweet corn, yielding approximately 13.6 tons/ha and generating an income of about 60 million VND/ha. In addition to corn, the people of Thuan Son also maintain 45 hectares of peanuts and over 32 hectares of various vegetables such as cucumbers, beans, gourds, and pumpkins.

Harvesting honey gourds. Clip: HT

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/nong-dan-nghe-an-thu-nhap-kha-tu-trong-bau-mat-khong-lo-10296966.html