Growing seedlings in Ben Tre province’s Cho Lach district (Photo: VNA) Ben Tre (VNS/VNA) - Farmers in Ben Tre province’sCho Lach district are boosting production of seedlings for all kinds of cropsto make up for those damaged by drought and saltwater intrusion during thejust-ended dry season.
The district, the country’s largest seedling producer, is entering the rainyseason like the rest of the Mekong Delta.
Nguyen Thi Hong from the district’s Tan Lieng commune said the number ofseedlings she had grown this year was only equal to 60 percent of last year’sbecause of the saltwater intrusion and lack of water for irrigation.
She was growing more to meet the market demand, she said.
But a big difficulty was the shortage of plants required for grafting becauseof the damage caused by the drought and saltwater, she said.
She had spent more than 150 million VND (6,500 USD) to buy water but stillcould not save many of her seedlings.
Besides grafting, farmers here also produce seedlings by growing from rootedcuttings, seeds and air layering.
To ensure they have plants for grafting now many farmers had to grow themelsewhere in the delta during the last dry season and transport them to thedistrict.
Dang Van Mi of the district’s Long Thoi commune said he had to grow plants inprovinces like An Giang, Vinh Long and Dong Thap to ensure he would have plantsavailable to graft seedlings to sell come the rainy season.
Seedling prices have doubled from 12 months ago because of the lack of supply,according to traders.
Many like jackfruit, avocado and coconut are in high demand now.
Cho Lach produces more than 30 million seedlings a year with the main seasonbeing the beginning of the rainy season in May, according to the district’sBureau of Agriculture and Rural Development.
However, the output this year was only 10 percent of last year, said Bui Thanh Liem,head of the bureau.
But farmers were increasing production and would have enough to supply to themarket in two to three months, he said.
District authorities have taken many measures to help farmers overcome theadverse impacts of the drought and saltwater intrusion, and taught themtechniques to grow seedlings.
The district’s seedlings, mostly for fruit trees, are sold all over thecountry./.
The district, the country’s largest seedling producer, is entering the rainyseason like the rest of the Mekong Delta.
Nguyen Thi Hong from the district’s Tan Lieng commune said the number ofseedlings she had grown this year was only equal to 60 percent of last year’sbecause of the saltwater intrusion and lack of water for irrigation.
She was growing more to meet the market demand, she said.
But a big difficulty was the shortage of plants required for grafting becauseof the damage caused by the drought and saltwater, she said.
She had spent more than 150 million VND (6,500 USD) to buy water but stillcould not save many of her seedlings.
Besides grafting, farmers here also produce seedlings by growing from rootedcuttings, seeds and air layering.
To ensure they have plants for grafting now many farmers had to grow themelsewhere in the delta during the last dry season and transport them to thedistrict.
Dang Van Mi of the district’s Long Thoi commune said he had to grow plants inprovinces like An Giang, Vinh Long and Dong Thap to ensure he would have plantsavailable to graft seedlings to sell come the rainy season.
Seedling prices have doubled from 12 months ago because of the lack of supply,according to traders.
Many like jackfruit, avocado and coconut are in high demand now.
Cho Lach produces more than 30 million seedlings a year with the main seasonbeing the beginning of the rainy season in May, according to the district’sBureau of Agriculture and Rural Development.
However, the output this year was only 10 percent of last year, said Bui Thanh Liem,head of the bureau.
But farmers were increasing production and would have enough to supply to themarket in two to three months, he said.
District authorities have taken many measures to help farmers overcome theadverse impacts of the drought and saltwater intrusion, and taught themtechniques to grow seedlings.
The district’s seedlings, mostly for fruit trees, are sold all over thecountry./.
