Farmers during times of soaring prices

In the early days of the rainy season, in the fields of Tan Phuoc 1 commune, Dong Thap province, farmer Nguyen Van Tam sighed and lamented as he looked at his ripening pineapple crop, then bitterly remarked: "The more I grow, the more I lose."

Mr. Tam's story is not unique. Amidst continuously escalating agricultural input prices, many farmers in the Mekong Delta are struggling to cope with a prolonged "price storm." The paradox is that while the prices of fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, labor, and transportation are rising, the prices of many agricultural products remain almost unchanged, or even plummet.

Pineapples are in season for harvesting, but the prices are disastrously low, causing farmers to suffer losses.

For the past three years, pineapple prices in Tan Phuoc have remained stable at a high level, even exceeding 11,000 VND/kg at times. However, in the last two weeks, during the peak harvest season, pineapple prices have plummeted, causing significant losses for many pineapple growers. Mr. Bui Ke Binh, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Tan Phuoc 1 commune, Dong Thap province, said: “Pineapple is the main crop of the commune, but currently, the price has dropped by half to just over 4,000 VND/kg. To stabilize pineapple prices, the government should cooperate with businesses to process and export them.” After the merger, the area planted with pineapples in Dong Thap province is nearly 15,000 hectares.

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For rice, the main agricultural product of the Mekong Delta, the pressure is even more apparent. Each hectare of rice currently has to bear dozens of costs, from seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel for water pumping, land preparation, to harvesting and transportation. At certain times, rice prices have increased slightly, but not enough to compensate for the rise in input costs. According to many farmers in An Giang and Dong Thap (localities with large rice cultivation areas), the most worrying thing is the decreasing profit margin.

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The pineapple plantation belonging to Mr. Nguyen Van Tam's family .

Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, from Tan Phuoc 1 commune, Dong Thap province, recounts that his family used to cultivate many hectares of rice. However, after several consecutive unsuccessful harvests, he decided to reduce the area. “Farming now is like gambling. The capital invested is increasing, but the return is minimal. Sometimes, after the harvest, the family's hard work is completely wasted,” he shared. Then he invested in pineapple cultivation, and the vicious cycle of season and price repeated itself on his family's land.

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Farmers' worries extend beyond immediate profits and losses to the future of agriculture. Many young workers are losing interest in farming, choosing to leave their hometowns to find work in industrial zones or large cities. In many rural areas, the elderly continue to cling to their land and gardens, working while simultaneously worrying. Amidst the "price storm" engulfing many rural areas, what farmers long for is not record-breaking harvests, but simply to sell their products at a price commensurate with their labor and investment.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/kinh-te/cac-van-de/nong-dan-thoi-bao-gia-1045071