Nguyen Khanh was among the first farmers in Vinh Dieu commune, Giang Thanh district, Kien Giang province to switch from rice cultivation to lotus farming. With high-quality lotus seeds selected from An Giang and Dong Thap provinces, he has increased his income, enriched the soil, improved water quality improvement and saved on manpower.
The initial investment to start growing lotus flowers is around half of what it takes to plant rice, while it requires less manpower to take care of the flowers.
In just four months, farmers earn an average profit of 1,300 USD per hectare.
Nha Sap and Cong Ca villages in Vinh Dieu commune have been piloting lotus cultivation since 2018. Over the past year, experts have concluded that lotus flowers are compatible with local conditions. Especially, lotus flowers can even grow in areas contaminated by acid sulfate where rice cannot be grown.
Based on the results of piloting lotus cultivation, Vinh Dieu commune’s authorities have devised a plan to grow lotus flowers to meet market demands. The local government is also working on a preferential policy and technical training courses for lotus growers in the commune./.
