Growing lotus yields 3-5 times more income than growing rice, leading farmers in Dong Thap to expand lotus cultivation to nearly 1,900 hectares.

As part of the recent Lotus Festival 2024, the People's Committee of Dong Thap province organized a workshop titled "Enhancing the value chain of the lotus industry in Dong Thap province in conjunction with the circular economy and green growth".

Farmers in Dong Thap province earn 3-5 times more from growing lotus than from growing rice. Photo: D.T.

Here, many delegates argued that growing lotus yields significantly more income than growing rice, thereby helping farmers improve their lives.

Specifically, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) stated that lotus cultivation helps farmers earn five times more income compared to monoculture rice farming.

Besides providing income, lotus cultivation also helps restore the habitat of fish and other aquatic species by allowing floodwaters to enter the dikes during the rainy season.

Furthermore, lotus cultivation helps improve biodiversity by reducing the use of harmful pesticides and minimizing the need for additional protective enclosures for three-crop intensive rice cultivation.

Meanwhile, Ms. Phan Thi Thu Hien from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City) said that growing lotus yields three times the income of growing rice.

According to Ms. Hien, Dong Thap is the largest lotus-growing region in Vietnam. Lotus cultivation requires less investment in fertilizers and pesticides. Currently, it has become one of the six key agricultural sectors selected by Dong Thap for agricultural restructuring.

In some areas of Dong Thap province, within the lotus-growing region, locals also raise fish and offer experiential tourism to increase their profits. Photo: D.T.

Many delegates argued that lotus tourism in Dong Thap currently focuses only on ecotourism with flower-viewing spots. The products and services offered are relatively simple and somewhat standardized. (Photo: D.T.)

Lotus plants in Dong Thap grow in low-lying, waterlogged areas. They are very hardy and sometimes thrive even without much care.

To increase income from the same lotus cultivation area, in some localities in Dong Thap province, people have also been raising fish in the lotus-fish farming model for many years. In some places, people even develop agricultural tourism experiences in the lotus fields.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Vu Minh, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Thap province, previously, the areas with the most lotus cultivation in Dong Thap province were in Thap Muoi, Cao Lanh, and Chau Thanh districts. Later, new cultivation areas were established in districts such as Thanh Binh, Tan Hong, and Tam Nong.

By the end of 2023, the total lotus cultivation area in Dong Thap province reached 1,838 hectares (exceeding the 2025 target of 1,400 hectares by 31.3%). Currently, 52 lotus varieties have been collected and propagated.

Dong Thap province has developed 59 OCOP products from lotus. Of these, 30 products have achieved 3-star OCOP status, 28 products have achieved 4-star OCOP status, and 1 product has achieved 5-star OCOP status.

In addition, there are potential products derived from lotus used in cosmetics such as lotus perfume and lotus lipstick; in daily household use such as lotus soap and lotus incense; and in textiles and fashion such as lotus silk, lotus silk fabric, lotus silk ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), and lotus silk bags.

According to Ms. Vu Kim Hanh, Director of the Business Research and Support Center (BSA), the lotus industry in Dong Thap has made remarkable progress in recent years. In particular, businesses in the province have effectively applied many new technologies in exploiting local resources. Evidence of this is the increasing variety and diversity of processed lotus products from Dong Thap.

Also at this event, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, Nguyen Phuoc Thien, happily said: "The lotus industry in Dong Thap has developed strongly in recent years. Through processing, value-added products from Dong Thap's lotus have become widely known to friends both domestically and internationally."

Although Dong Thap has great potential to develop lotus tourism in a unique and competitive way compared to other localities nationwide, based on data and field inspections, many delegates believe that Dong Thap's lotus tourism is currently limited to ecotourism with flower-viewing spots. The products and services are still relatively simple and somewhat standardized.

Following the suggestions from the delegates, the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, Nguyen Phuoc Thien, requested relevant departments and agencies to seriously consider them. Subsequently, they need to review and develop solutions to address the bottlenecks facing the lotus industry.

Source: https://danviet.vn/trong-sen-thu-nhap-gap-3-5-lan-so-voi-trong-lua-nong-dan-dong-thap-mo-rong-dien-tich-sen-len-gan-1900ha-20240520135317922.htm