Large-scale fields

Having a large field, Hang's family easily applies machines to production. In the photo: A large pesticide spraying machine has been used by Hang's family for years

Many advantages

Le Van Quang in Cam Dong commune, Cam Giang district, Hai Duong province, has unexpectedly had 200 mau (3,600 m²) of fields.

His family worked as hired land tillers, so every crop, he went to various fields in the province. In 2015, when passing Gia Loc district town, he saw grass higher than a man's head in Bai Mia field while in other places, farmers were hurriedly transplanting rice seedlings in fields.

"Asking people around, I knew that because of ineffective rice cultivation, farmers had left it unused for a long time. Without any hesitation, I asked for hire. More surprisingly, the field was lent free of charge," said Quang.

Having 100 mau of field, Quang and his wife diligently built plot and region banks and improved soil. After only one year, rice grew verdantly in the fallow Bai Mia field. While other people made a profit of only a few hundred thousand dong on rice cultivation, he earned several hundred million dong.

According to Quang, because the field was large, cultivation was convenient in many aspects, and labor was replaced by machines in hard stages. Therefore, though there were only him and his wife, he still took time to do services.

Seeing him cultivate rice effectively, people recommended him to borrow 100 mau of field in Hoang Dieu commune, Gia Loc district.

"I never feel satisfied with the fields I have. I go to any place where there are fields for hire or lending. Now I intend to hire 90 more mau of fields in Thanh Mien district. It has cost me much labor anyway, so I must work on a large scale. Only large fields can bring prosperity," he affirmed.

A vast alluvial area in Hong Phong commune, Ninh Giang district, was originally used for maize cultivation; however, under the hands of Dao Huy Du, it has become fresher with high-value export vegetables such as carrot, chili, South Korean basella alba, etc.

It took Du nearly three years to persuade 250 households to rent the land out. When fields were connected, the fishbone banks used to divide plots were destroyed, and he freely put new varieties into production.

Thanks to synchronous application of farming techniques, production value on the same area is much higher than small-scale cultivation by the households.

In addition, Du has proactively associated with businesses to seek the way out for his products. Currently cultivating vegetables according to orders, so he does not have constant worries about prices and markets like other farmers.

"Large-scale cultivation will face many risks. Having 100 mau of land will be more difficult than having one mau. However, risks cannot be limited or minimized by small-scale cultivation. Hence, profit will be inversely proportional to the time and effort spent. Only large-scale cultivation may bring profit," said Du.

Help still needed

After nearly 10 years of field gathering, Bui Thi Hang's family in Chi Khe hamlet, Tan Truong commune, Cam Giang district, has done well thanks to the revival of more than 100 mau of fallow field in the locality.

At present, her family is famous for commodity rice production with many units in and outside the province coming to suggest underwriting at the beginning of each crop.

However, she still has many unsolved concerns. The current achievement was made from the sweat and tears of Hang and her husband in many years. Nonetheless, it may disappear at any time if people reclaim their fields. Hang's biggest wish is that authorities and specialized agencies will have clear mechanisms on field accumulation for her family to keep their mind on cultivation.

"Apart from legal procedures related to land borrowing and hire, I have also requested the local authorities to pay attention to building roads to fields and canal systems. Only then will it be convenient for us to take machines to fields," said Hang.

Having dreamed of having large fields for a long time, so Quang was excited to know that the State has policies to support households accumulating fields like his own. Yet to grasp much information but he still believes in stable and long-term cultivation.

According to Quang, he was lent the fields free of charge in the past but has to rent them at a price of VND200,000 per sao (360 m²) each year at present.

It took Quang much effort and money to build the vast fields. Therefore, he is very afraid that one day, they will be torn apart and he large field dream will be shattered.

"I only want to get conditions to have large-scale fields to act on my own initiative. If so, even normal plants can bring high value," he asserted.

In the face of the actual production, the provincial People's Committee has issued a mechanism to support households accumulating fields. Accordingly, the provincial authorities will assist households accumulating at least 5 ha of fields with VND5 million/ ha/ year in the first two years.

However, it is very difficult to access this source of capital. The provincial authorities should work out a clearer mechanism for people to be motivated to gather fields to get rich.

DUNG CUONG