The shallot harvest season is bustling in Phu My Nam.

(GLO) - As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, the shallot fields in Phu My Nam commune (Gia Lai province) are bustling with activity as they enter the harvest season. Stable yields and quality, along with relatively good selling prices, bring joy to shallot growers after a season of hard work.

For more than half a month now, the shallot fields in Phu My Nam commune have been bustling with harvesting activity. The afternoon is the peak harvesting time, with farmers rushing to the fields to pull up shallots, bundle the leaves, and sell them to traders early the next morning.

Across the fields, people are busily harvesting shallots. Photo: Dung Nhan

This year's shallot harvest is considered quite favorable, with relatively stable weather, good plant growth, and consistent yield and bulb quality.

Despite a good harvest, shallot growers remain hesitant to expand their cultivated area due to high input costs and an unstable market.

The shallot fields of Phu My Nam, viewed from above. Photo: Dung Nhan.

According to statistics, Phu My Nam commune currently has 214 hectares of shallots, mainly concentrated in the villages of Van Ninh 1, Van Loc, Hoa Nghia, and My Hoi 2. The average yield is about 68 quintals/hectare, equivalent to 340 kg per sao (approximately 1000 square meters), showing that the efficiency of cultivation on sandy coastal land remains stable.

All harvesting processes are done manually. Photo: Dung Nhan

Currently, the price of shallots remains stable. Large shallots are purchased by traders at around 50,000 VND/kg, medium-sized shallots at 40-45,000 VND/kg, while small shallots are only slightly over 30,000 VND/kg. At these prices, shallot growers are making a profit.

Farmers cut off the leaves right in the field for easier transportation. Photo: Dung Nhan

Ms. Le Thi Thuy's family (Van Ninh 1 village) cultivates about 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of shallots. According to Ms. Thuy, the recent storms had little impact; the shallots are still growing well, with uniform and beautiful bulbs. However, the investment cost for each sao of shallots currently amounts to about 6 million VND, including seeds, fertilizer, and pesticides.

"Whether we make a profit or not depends largely on the selling price. If the price goes up, we make a profit, but if it goes down, we only break even," said Ms. Thuy.

In reality, the area planted with shallots in Phu My Nam has not increased in recent years, and has even shown a slight downward trend. The main reason is that production is still small-scale, spontaneous, and dependent on traders. Farmers sell their harvest as they go, without any guaranteed purchase contracts or stable consumption linkages. When prices fluctuate or input costs increase, all the risks fall on the growers.

The palanquins are gathered from the fields and transported home by cart. Photo: Dung Nhan

Shallots are a short-term crop, with a cultivation period of about 3 months, suitable for the sandy coastal soil conditions and the farming practices of Phu My Nam. The shallots from this area are popular in the market, especially during the Lunar New Year. However, to enhance value and competitiveness, reorganizing production is a necessary step for the future.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Phu My Nam commune, said: "Shallots are a traditional crop, playing an important role in the local short-term crop structure. In the future, the commune aims to maintain the planted area at a reasonable level, avoiding rapid expansion. At the same time, the locality will encourage people to apply new technical measures such as water-saving irrigation to reduce production costs; gradually build concentrated growing areas, linked with OCOP product registration to increase value and create a more stable market for shallots."

The joy of a bountiful harvest is evident on the radiant faces of farmers as the Tet crop is in full swing. However, for shallots to truly thrive sustainably on sandy soil, growers still need more fundamental solutions regarding production linkages, technical applications, and stable output. This will ensure their long-term commitment to this traditional crop, contributing to increasingly prosperous and fulfilling Tet seasons in this sandy region.

Clip: Dung Nhan

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/ron-rang-mua-thu-hoach-kieu-o-phu-my-nam-post577225.html