The land is exhausted from intensive farming.
Nam An Phu commune (formerly Kinh Mon town, Hai Duong province) has the largest area of onion cultivation in Hai Phong, with approximately 900 hectares. For a long time, the people here have cultivated with very high intensity, planting two rice crops and one onion crop per year, leaving the land with almost no time to rest.
Mr. Nguyen Van Sinh, a resident of Phuong Quat village who has been cultivating onions and garlic on his 3 sao (approximately 3,000 square meters) of land for many years, said: "Onions and garlic yield dozens of times more income than rice. Even with a good rice crop, you only get 2.5 quintals per sao, worth just over 1 million dong, and after deducting expenses, there's hardly anything left. But if one sao of garlic has a good harvest and is sold at the right time at the end of March when prices are high, the total income can easily reach 15-20 million dong."
Nam An Phu, the onion-growing capital, is in full swing. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
Mr. Nguyen Van Rieng, who cultivates 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice fields in Phuong Quat village, also said that rice farming is currently mainly for "maintaining the land" and using straw to cover the onion beds. "Fresh rice sells for 7,000 VND/kg at the field. If we hire people to harvest and plant, we're sure to lose money. Therefore, onions and garlic are the main source of income for the people here. Last year, even with low prices, onions sold in bulk (both bulbs and leaves) still fetched around 13,000 VND/kg, bringing in over 10 million VND per sao," Mr. Rieng calculated.
Year-round crop rotation brings high income to the people of Nam An Phu, but it also depletes the soil's resources. The "overdose" of chemicals leads to soil degradation, pest resistance, and a vicious cycle: the more chemical fertilizers are applied, the more compacted the soil becomes, the weaker the plants, and the more pesticides are needed.
“The soil is now much poorer in nutrients compared to the past. It’s compacted and nutrient-deficient due to continuous intensive farming. To get beautiful onion plants, we have to add more sand, raise the raised beds, and use more fertilizers and pesticides than before for the plants to grow,” shared Ms. Le Thi Nguyet (37 years old, Phuong Quat village).
Initial changes
Recognizing the risks posed by soil degradation, starting from the 2025-2026 winter crop season, the People's Committee of Nam An Phu commune, in coordination with Golden Agricultural Development Joint Stock Company, will implement a model of organic onion cultivation and apply integrated plant health management (IPHM) on a scale of 12 acres with 70 participating households.
Mr. Dang Van Phan, head of Phuong Quat village, said that the entire village has 430 households growing onions on an area of 32 hectares. Changing farming practices is not easy but necessary. "Onions are the main crop, sustaining the whole village. To achieve sustainable production, we must change from the root," Mr. Phan said.
The continuous crop rotation throughout the year means the land in the onion-growing area of Nam An Phu commune hardly gets any rest. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
The IPHM process applied here doesn't begin with spraying any chemicals, but rather with "diagnosing" the soil. Engineers from the partner company take soil samples for analysis, and then develop a formula for organic microbial fertilizers to balance pH and restore beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Mr. Nguyen Van Rieng, a household participating in the model, enthusiastically said: "Thanks to the company's investment in organic fertilizer, I see a clear difference. The soil is more porous and no longer compacted like when using chemical nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Looking at the green onion plants, with their thick, sturdy stems, I know they are healthy. Healthy plants naturally have fewer pests and diseases, saving money on pesticides."
Besides using organic fertilizers, the traditional straw mulching technique is also standardized in the IPHM process to retain moisture and control weeds, minimizing the use of harmful herbicides. The biggest worry for onion and garlic growers for many years has been the recurring problem of "bumper harvest, low prices." For example, the family of Ms. Le Thi Nguyet in Phuong Quat village, despite significant investment in the 2024 onion crop, had to sell off their entire crop at 13,000 VND/kg as early as January because they feared a price drop.
Mr. Nguyen Kien Cuong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Golden Agricultural Development Joint Stock Company, said, “We provide standard input materials, supervise the production process, and commit to purchasing farmers' products at a price 15% higher than the market price. The only condition is that farmers must comply with the IPHM process and keep field diaries to ensure no chemical residue.”
Ms. Bui Thi Vui, the household with the largest onion cultivation area in Phuong Quat village, Nam An Phu commune, is fertilizing her onions. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
The changes in production in Nam An Phu are not limited to technical advancements but also extend to a shift in mindset. From fragmented production and the overuse of chemicals, people are moving towards responsible agriculture, prioritizing soil health as the foundation for productivity and quality, paving the way for Hai Phong onions to be exported to demanding markets such as Japan and South Korea.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam An Phu commune, said that the locality has the largest area of onion cultivation in Hai Phong. Farmers in the commune have experience in intensive onion cultivation, but farming is still based on habit and lacks a systematic and standardized production process. Therefore, the most important thing for the people here is a safe production process, thereby building a brand for onions, contributing to improving productivity, product quality, and the economic efficiency of the local agricultural product.
Ms. Bui Thi Vui, who cultivates over one acre of onions in Phuong Quat village, shared: “My family’s income depends solely on this acre of land, so we always try to maximize its use for intensive farming, but we are also very worried because the land is becoming increasingly barren. What we farmers hope for most is support from the government and businesses in terms of systematic investment and guidance on sustainable production processes. If we have good fertilizers, loose soil, and onion yields of 8-9 quintals per acre, and if businesses guarantee high prices, we will adhere well to organic and sustainable production processes, protecting the land in the long term.”
Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/tu-duy-moi-tai-thu-phu-hanh-mien-bac-d786496.html
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