In southeastern Lam Dong province, the lotus harvest is in full swing.

In May, under the bright sunshine, lotus-growing areas in the southeastern part of Lam Dong province, such as Hong Son, Ham Thuan, Ham Liem, and Duc Linh, are in the peak harvesting season. Although lotus prices are lower than during the off-season, yields are high. Each lotus garden displays a shimmering pink hue and the hope of a bountiful harvest for the farmers.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tan harvests lotus.

We arrived at Doc Lang village, Ham Thuan commune, a land long associated with rice and crop production for the local people. Under the early morning sun, fields of lotus flowers appeared before our eyes, a vibrant pink interspersed with the green of the leaves. Countless lotus pods, ready for harvest, swayed in the breeze, emitting a fragrant aroma as farmers began to pick them. Surrounding the lotus fields were rice paddies that had just been harvested, being plowed for the new crop. The working atmosphere of this purely agricultural countryside, combined with the pure beauty of the lotus flowers, created a new vitality in this land full of sunshine and wind.

Early in the morning, while dew still clung to the leaves, Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tan (Doc Lang village, Ham Thuan commune), the owner of a 1-hectare lotus garden, was busy harvesting lotus pods in the fields. He was picking the mature lotus pods with their firm seeds. Mr. Tan shared that this area was previously used for rice cultivation in a low-lying region, and last year it was affected by floods, resulting in crop failure. Therefore, his family converted the entire area to lotus cultivation. During the peak harvest season, the prices of lotus products sold include: whole lotus seeds at 25,000 VND/kg, boiled lotus at 40,000 VND/kg, lotus stems at 80,000-100,000 VND/kg, and lotus hearts at 350,000 VND/kg…

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In the first harvest season, the lotus yielded a high output, with large, fragrant, and delicious seeds, making it popular with customers. With our current land area, my wife and I sell retail to the surrounding area through online orders and regular customers. The products sold vary depending on customer demand, with each product harvested only after the order is placed.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tan, Doc Lang village, Ham Thuan commune.

Another lotus farmer, Mr. Nguyen The Luc, from the same commune, has 9 sao (approximately 0.9 hectares) of lotus plants currently in the peak harvesting season. Mr. Luc said that during the off-season, lotus buds fetch over 35,000 VND/kg, but during the peak harvest season, due to high production, the price sometimes drops to only 8,000 - 10,000 VND/kg. According to Mr. Luc's calculations, farmers can still make a profit with the remaining seedlings, but for those planting for the first time, the initial investment cost of 26-30 million VND/ha makes it more difficult.

According to the provincial agricultural department, the entire southeastern region of Lam Dong province has approximately 600 hectares of lotus cultivation. Along with some areas in Ham Thuan commune where rice is rotated to lotus cultivation, several other localities have significant lotus cultivation areas, such as Hong Son (over 300 hectares), Bac Binh commune and surrounding areas (about 60 hectares), and are currently in the peak harvesting season. While lotus is not a key crop in the province, in recent years, the model of rotating lotus cultivation from less efficient rice crops in low-lying areas has been developing strongly due to its ease of cultivation, resistance to pests and diseases, and increased profitability. This is also a direction for restructuring crop patterns in the southeastern region of the province. Consequently, due to this spontaneous development, the market for lotus products mainly consists of traders buying directly from the fields, or farmers transporting their products to wholesale markets.

During the peak lotus harvest season in southeastern Lam Dong province , the large yield means prices haven't reached the expected levels. However, many local growers and consumers share that lotus offers significant value and enjoys a strong domestic market. This is especially true for its use in food, desserts, jams, lotus leaf tea, and lotus heart tea, which are believed to aid sleep and cool the body during the summer. Furthermore, besides its aesthetic value in creating beautiful landscapes and attracting tourists, the lotus flower also has a vibrant market for offerings and religious ceremonies. Given the value of the lotus plant, growers in the province hope that in the future, there will be opportunities for collaborative consumption, leading to deeper processing and export to ensure stable development and avoid the situation of bumper harvests leading to price drops.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/ong-nam-lam-ong-ro-thu-hoach-sen-chinh-vu-441708.html