HCM City (VNA) - Farmers who grow watermelon in southern Ca Mau province’sCa Mau city are raking in high profits because of a bumper harvest and risingprices for the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday when the fruit is used on virtuallyevery family altar.

Le Van Muoi, who grew 4,000 sq.m ofwatermelon under Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards,harvested watermelon last week and sold them for 8,000 VND (35 US cent) a kilo.

After deducting all production costs, hewas able to earn a profit of 30 million VND (1,300 USD) per 1,000 sq.m. “Thisis the first year I’ve used VietGAP standards. I’m very happy because I had abumper crop and high prices,” he said.

In previous years, Muoi grew watermelonusing traditional methods and did not see high profits.

In recent years, growing watermelon for Tetbrought high profits for farmers who decided to expand cultivation for the Tetcrop.

In Ly Van Lam commune’s specialisedwatermelon cultivation area, farmers have planted 73 ha for this Tet, up 13 haagainst last Tet. Of the figure, 21 ha are planted under VietGAP standards.

Farmers have planted red and yellow fleshwatermelons and the seedless variety, all of which have had a high yield andgood quality.

The commune’s watermelon is famous for itssweetness.

Many watermelon farmers have escapedpoverty and become wealthy, according to the Ca Mau Province FarmersAssociation, which has organised courses on farming techniques to help themimprove their profits.

For this crop, farmers earned an averageprofit of more than 15 million VND for each 1,000 sq.m, according to theassociation.

Vegetables

Many farmers who grow vegetables in the communehave applied VietGAP standards for mustard leaves, water spinach, cucumber,bitter melon and tomato. 

Nguyen Chi Thanh, who owns a 1.3 ha gardenin the commune’s Chanh Hamlet, said his family had grown five types ofvegetables and fruits under VietGAP standards, including bitter melon.

Last week, traders purchased his bittermelon for 10,000 VND a kilo, which is expected to rise near Tet, he said.

“My family will have a good Tet thanks toour use of VietGAP standards,” he said.   

Growing VietGAP vegetables normally offersa profit of 15-20 percent higher than normal vegetables.

Nguyen Van Nhan, chairman of the Ly Van LamCommune Farmers Association, said the farmers should develop a brand forvegetables and expand their sales network.

The Ly Van Lam Agricultural ServiceCo-operative, which has planted vegetables under VietGAP standards, plans todevelop five sale points in Ca Mau city this year and expand its vegetablesplanted under VietGAP standards to 10ha.

As of last December, the cooperative hadplanted five hectares of VietGAP vegetables. - VNA