Mulberry fruit crop failure, farmers withering sad

This year, many mulberry fields for fruits in Hiep Thuan commune (Phuc Tho district, Hanoi) are affected by salt rain and white dried mulberries. Many households who lost their money did not want to visit the fields, weeding, and cultivating tree stumps.

Hiep Thuan commune (Phuc Tho, Hanoi) is a famous mulberry growing area that specializes in supplying the Hanoi market and the central provinces. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of the Farmers Association of Hiep Thuan commune, “Since ancient times, the elders in the village mainly planted mulberries to raise silkworms. However, before the requirement of reality, mulberries do not bring income, people turn to growing short-term crops such as soybeans, corn to serve daily food. About 30 years ago, taking advantage of favorable soil conditions, people switched to planting mulberry trees for fruit ”. Mulberries produce one crop per year, usually lasting from January to the beginning of April on the lunar calendar. At this time each year, mulberry gardens are in season, the fruit is black, sweet and succulent. However, this year, due to the influence of weather, most of the fields have very few fruits. Many households who lost their money did not want to visit the fields, weeding, and cultivating tree stumps. Ms. Thuy, a mulberry-growing household in Hiep Thuan commune, shared: “This year, due to the influence of salt rain, the strawberry is all hard, dry and white. I planted 3 sao and took up 30% of the area. I should have had no strawberries at home, but many of them abandoned it, didn’t care anymore, but I still came here to pick every broken fruit, re-cultivate each strawberry root, pull the weeds to make the base to try to salvage. beveled, how much is “. The weather has been difficult, the mulberry farmers here are also forced to price when they cannot manage the output for the product. Mainly traders buy small retail locally. At present, the price of mulberry purchased at the garden is only 8,000-10,000 VND / kg. Mr. Hiep (Hiep Thuan commune) shared: “My family has planted 1 sao of mulberry trees for 4-5 years. The most difficult thing about growing this plant is pests and diseases, unpredictable weather and unstable and unstable prices ”. Every strawberry harvest, people gather at the village gate waiting for the small trader to weigh and pick up the goods. If there is a good season, good price, farmers will earn 20-30 million / acre / crop. Although it is a famous mulberry growing area, according to the President of the Farmers Association, the farming method of farmers is only spontaneous. If the price is good, the acreage will be expanded, otherwise it will be cut down to plant other trees. Currently in Hiep Thuan commune, the largest mulberry farmer only reaches 3-4 sao, the rest is only 1-2 sao. “Currently, the locality is also having a policy to restructure crops, including mulberry trees. However, the output of the mulberry tree is a problem. Currently, there are no enterprises and stable purchasing units for people to feel secure in production ”, said Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of Hiep Thuan Commune Farmers Association. Mulberry is a plant grown quite simply. There are households that propagate and graft themselves. After 1 year, from the beginning of planting, it is possible to harvest. From the second year onwards, strawberries will produce more wrong and delicious fruits. After 8-10 years, productivity will gradually decrease. What’s interesting about this perennial crop is that it takes less care. End of mulberry crop, people cut, prune and move to other jobs. At the end of the year, the mulberry tree loses its leaves, then people go to the field to fertilize it so that the tree can produce young leaves to welcome new fruit season. In general, you do not have to care too much, also reduce the labor force somewhat. When the berries are nearly ripe, they will change from green to pink, and ripe fruits will turn red, then crimson. At that time, people will pick strawberries for sale. This fruit can only be harvested manually. During the mulberry season, most people gather in the fields to pick from early morning to dark. According to strawberry growing households, on sunny days, strawberries ripen faster and sweeter than a cold, rainy day. Mulberries can be eaten directly or soaked in sugar as a refreshing drink. Hiep Thuan Strawberry followed traders around Hanoi streets and neighboring localities to reach consumers. And mulberry trees are still trees that bring many economic benefits to the households here./.