Dong Thap (VNS/VNA) - Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap have begun to usemore than 3,000ha of low-yield rice fields for growing fruits and other cropsthis year.

They are growing mostlycorn, sesame, soybean, sweet potato, lotus, mango, longan, orange and dragonfruit, and their incomes have doubled or even tripled, according to localauthorities.

Those growing corn haveaverage yields of 8-12 tonnes per hectare per crop and each time earn 7-10million VND (300-430 USD) higher than rice.

Provincial authoritieshave encouraged farmers to use infertile paddies to grow corn and establishconcentrated areas for the crop.    

The province has zonedsuch concentrated corn areas in Hong Ngu, Thanh Binh, Tam Nong, Lap Vo and LaiVung districts.

In the 2018-19winter-spring crop, the province offered rice farmers a subsidy of 3 million VND(130 USD) per hectare for buying corn seeds for planting if they switched,according to Nguyen Thanh Tai, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultureand Rural Development.

The province encouragesfarmers to grow corn varieties that have shorter maturity periods, high qualityand consistent yields, including hybrid varieties.

It has also identifiedhigh-yield sesame varieties VV12 and VĐ3 as suitable for growing indrought-prone areas in Cao Lanh city and the districts of Cao Lanh, Lap Vo andTan Hong.

Many farmers rotate riceand sesame on their rice fields, growing rice in winter-spring andsummer-autumn and sesame in spring-summer.

The sesame crop helpsimprove the soil’s fertility and saves water, especially in the dry season.Besides, it earns them more than 30 million VND (1,300 USD) per hectare percrop, 5-10 million VND (215-430 USD) more than summer-autumn rice, according tofarmers.

Many rice farmers whohave switched to fruits in recent years earn higher incomes since fruits havehigh value and demand.  

Ngo Van Binh, who hasturned his 7,000sq.m rice field in Lai Vung district’s Vinh Thoi commune into ared-flesh dragon fruit orchard, said he now earns around 200 million VND (8,620USD) a year.

“Planting dragon fruitrequires high initial investment, but the fruit is easy to grow and has highyields so farmers can recover the investment quickly, while earning goodincomes.”

His fruits have aguaranteed buyer in the form of a company, he said.

In Lai Vung, other cropshave been grown on more than 2,600ha of rice paddies since 2016, according tothe district’s Division of Agriculture and Rural Development.

But the small scale offarming, scattered locations of farms, uneven farming skills and lack ofregular outlets are obstacles to restructuring, the division said.

Mai Quoc Hau, head ofthe division, said: “The district will have detailed plans for convertinglow-yield rice fields in each area and for their markets.”

The district would workwith companies to guarantee outlets for farmers, he promised.

The district also plansto teach farming techniques and provide a subsidy of 60 million VND (2,580 USD)to each cooperative team and cooperative registering for the first time to growcrops to Vietnamese good agricultural practice (VietGAP) standards.-VNS/VNA