Joy in winter crop fields

Winter vegetable growers are excited at high increases in the prices of many vegetables

Despite the cold of December days, in vegetable fields of Gia Luong commune, Gia Loc district, the working atmosphere was still bustling.

While quickly taking care of more than three sao (360 m²) of newly planted cabbage, Dang Thi Ngung in Luy Duong hamlet excitedly said: “This is the 2nd cabbage crop this winter. It is expected to be harvested after Tet.”

“It was harsh at the beginning of this winter crop because of two big floods, so I had to replant vegetables for the second time, but the selling price was much higher.

“At the beginning of December, I sold more than three sao of cabbage to traders for more than 8 million VND/ sao, making a profit of nearly 20 million VND, equivalent to the beginning of last year’s winter crop.”

Hung Dao commune is one of the largest vegetable growing areas of Tu Ky district. There, vegetables are grown all year round. The agricultural production value of the commune reaches 150 – 160 million VND/ ha/ year.

Nguyen Van Thinh, a trader specializing in purchasing winter vegetables in Gia Loc district, said this crop, Hai Duong’s vegetables have sold smoothly.

In some other provinces and cities, vegetable growing areas were affected by frosts and cold, making vegetables unable to grow, leading to a scarcity of vegetables in the market.

Meanwhile, in Hai Duong, farmers have experience in attention, resulting in relatively smooth growing of vegetables. Thinh can purchase hundreds of tons of cabbage and kohlrabi each day for supply to collective kitchens in Hai Duong and wholesale markets inside and outside the province.

Farmers in Gia Luong commune, Gia Loc district, take care of cabbage to serve the Tet market

At the beginning of the winter crop, it was warm, and vegetables grew quickly, leading to abundant supply and much lower selling prices compared to the same period in previous years.

However, at the end of last November, the prices of winter vegetables suddenly skyrocketed. At present, traders are buying kohlrabi, cauliflower, and cabbage for 5,000 – 6,000 VND/ tuber, 6,000 – 7,000 VND/ cauliflower, and 8,000 – 9,000 VND/ kg, respectively, twice as high as in the same period in 2021. With these prices, farmers make a profit of nearly 10 million VND on each sao of winter vegetables.

Farmers in vegetable growing areas are happy and excited at the sudden increase in vegetable prices and favorable sale, especially when Tet is drawing near.

In 2022, the province planted 22,405 ha of winter crops, exceeding the plan by nearly 7%.

Hai Duong has strengths in winter vegetable cultivation and farmers are experienced in production along with the application of mechanization; thus, the productivity and quality of vegetables are guaranteed.

Every year, the province's winter vegetable output amounts to 500,000 – 600,000 tons. About 150,000 – 200,000 tons of vegetables, tubers, and fruits are consumed in the province, and the rest in other localities.

Many vegetables grown under GAP standards are provided for chains of clean food stores in the region.

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