Growing vegetables in the island district

In Phu Quy, there are lush green vegetable gardens where simple, hardworking farmers diligently cultivate crops under the sun and rain to ensure a stable life and supply the island's residents with fresh, delicious, and high-quality vegetables and fruits.

Located more than 56 nautical miles from the mainland, Phu Quy is an island district of Binh Thuan province, experiencing only sunshine and wind year-round. The harsh weather makes growing vegetables on the island very difficult. More than 13 years ago, the daily meals of the island's residents depended entirely on vegetables transported from the mainland. However, now, the people of this island district not only grow their own vegetables, but also produce clean, safe vegetables for their families, generating a significant income. On our tour, we stopped at Ngu Phung commune, the area with the most vegetable cultivation in the district. It was late afternoon, but in the gardens, farmers were still diligently weeding and watering their lush green crops.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Nghia (Phu An village, Ngu Phung commune) owns more than 1 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of land. On this land, he is growing onions, coriander, cinnamon, lettuce, cucumbers, bitter melon, and gourds… He said that previously, due to old farming practices, the previous crop's produce was kept as seeds for the next crop, resulting in low yields. Since 2010, the Binh Thuan Center for Information and Application of Advanced Science and Technology has implemented the project "Applying advanced techniques, building and developing a model for vegetable production on sandy soil to help solve the vegetable shortage in Phu Quy island district," so now the people of the island district have applied science and technology to growing green vegetables, creating varieties that meet the needs of the people.

“The people on the island really appreciate the vegetables and fruits grown here, so we vegetable growers have limited our use of pesticides. We sell everything we harvest. In general, vegetable farming provides my family with a stable life, and our children can get a good education,” Mr. Nghia said.

Interestingly, while land transactions are booming in the island district, many households remain determined to hold onto their land, diligently cultivating gardens and growing vegetables to increase their family income. Ms. Nguyen Thi Le (Phu An village, Ngu Phung commune) is one of the families who have been growing vegetables for many years. With just over one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of land, her family grows various vegetables such as water spinach, mustard greens, pumpkins, and mint. According to Ms. Le, in recent years, as land prices in the island district have increased, many people have inquired about buying it, but she has refused to sell. "Living here, we only do fishing or gardening. My family has never gone fishing before, so if I sell the land now, what will we live on?" Ms. Le said.

According to Mr. Tran Trong Kim, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ngu Phung commune, vegetable farming in Ngu Phung commune has existed for quite some time, but on a small scale, serving the needs of each family and village. In recent years, this profession has developed strongly, creating jobs and providing the main source of income for the people. The variety of green vegetables in Ngu Phung includes sweet cabbage, lettuce, spring onions, spinach, mint, tomatoes, cucumbers, and various herbs. Currently, there are about 70 households engaged in vegetable farming, each family owning 300-400 square meters of land, with some families having as much as 1-2 sao (approximately 1000-2000 square meters). “The people on the island are hardworking and diligent. Initially, they faced many difficulties when planting because the soil in the island district is only suitable for certain types of vegetables and fruits, but the most challenging issue was irrigation water. After some time, the farmers gradually learned and gained experience, and now they can grow many types of vegetables and fruits, contributing to increasing the supply of vegetables for the people of the island district,” Mr. Kim said.

Visiting Ngu Phung and Phu Quy, whether in the early morning or late afternoon, you'll witness the bustling scene of locals tending to their vegetables or harvesting fresh produce daily to supply customers.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/trong-rau-o-huyen-dao-109645.html