Farmers in the southeastern province of Dong Nai are earninghigher profits by planting two rice crops and then one corn crop on thesame field over a 12-month period.
Tran Thi Minh Thao of Lang Minhcommune in Xuan Loc District said that farmers began this practice 13years ago after experiencing poor rice harvests during the winter-springcrop when there was little rain.
Since that time, the commune has expanded this practice to a total of 450 hectares of rice fields.
Most farms in Lang Minh's Tay Minh hamlet have been yielding about nine tonnes of corn per hectare, according to Thao.
Farmer Ly Phat Sinh of Tay Minh hamlet said that higher incomes hadhelped many farmers build concrete houses and buy motorbikes andtelevisions.
Tran Quang, chairman of the Xuan Tien Union ofHigh-Yield Clubs in Xuan Loc District, said the revenue earned from cornwas two times higher than that of rice.
Rice crops yield up to 35million VND (1,600 USD) per hectare per crop, while corn brings up to70 million VND per hectare per crop.
Tran Hai Son, director ofDong Nai Province's Agricultural Extension Centre, said thewinter-spring corn crop had brought other benefits, including theprevention of rice-disease outbreaks and more fertile soil.
Corncultivation on rice fields during the winter-spring crop in Dong NaiProvince now totals 8,800 hectares. In 2000, it was 2,900 hectares,and in 2005, 5,000 hectares.
Son said the Agricultural ExtensionCentre would expand the rotating corn/rice crop model of cultivation toother rural and remote areas in the province.
Over the lastdecade, the centre has offered high-yield corn varieties to farmers sothey could increase productivity and earn higher incomes.
Dong Nai, the country's largest animal and poultry producer, has great need for corn.
The province, which has the largest corn cultivation area in the south,has a total of about 60,000 hectares of corn and corn-rice fields.-VNA
Tran Thi Minh Thao of Lang Minhcommune in Xuan Loc District said that farmers began this practice 13years ago after experiencing poor rice harvests during the winter-springcrop when there was little rain.
Since that time, the commune has expanded this practice to a total of 450 hectares of rice fields.
Most farms in Lang Minh's Tay Minh hamlet have been yielding about nine tonnes of corn per hectare, according to Thao.
Farmer Ly Phat Sinh of Tay Minh hamlet said that higher incomes hadhelped many farmers build concrete houses and buy motorbikes andtelevisions.
Tran Quang, chairman of the Xuan Tien Union ofHigh-Yield Clubs in Xuan Loc District, said the revenue earned from cornwas two times higher than that of rice.
Rice crops yield up to 35million VND (1,600 USD) per hectare per crop, while corn brings up to70 million VND per hectare per crop.
Tran Hai Son, director ofDong Nai Province's Agricultural Extension Centre, said thewinter-spring corn crop had brought other benefits, including theprevention of rice-disease outbreaks and more fertile soil.
Corncultivation on rice fields during the winter-spring crop in Dong NaiProvince now totals 8,800 hectares. In 2000, it was 2,900 hectares,and in 2005, 5,000 hectares.
Son said the Agricultural ExtensionCentre would expand the rotating corn/rice crop model of cultivation toother rural and remote areas in the province.
Over the lastdecade, the centre has offered high-yield corn varieties to farmers sothey could increase productivity and earn higher incomes.
Dong Nai, the country's largest animal and poultry producer, has great need for corn.
The province, which has the largest corn cultivation area in the south,has a total of about 60,000 hectares of corn and corn-rice fields.-VNA
