Growing lotus brings in 3-5 times more income than growing rice. Dong Thap farmers expand lotus growing area to nearly 1,900 hectares.

In a series of events at the 2024 Lotus Festival recently held, the People's Committee of Dong Thap province organized a workshop on "Enhancing the value chain of lotus products in Dong Thap province associated with circular economy and green growth".

Dong Thap farmers earn 3-5 times more from growing lotus than from growing rice. Photo: D.T.

Here, many delegates said that growing lotus brings in many times more income than growing rice, thereby helping farmers improve their lives.

Specifically, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) said that growing lotus helps farmers earn 5 times more than monoculture rice.

In addition to income, lotus cultivation also helps restore the habitat of fish and aquatic species by allowing floods into the dikes during the flood season.

Furthermore, lotus cultivation also helps improve biodiversity by limiting the use of toxic pesticides and reducing the need to build additional protective enclosures for intensive three-crop rice cultivation.

Ms. Phan Thi Thu Hien from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University) said that growing lotus brings in three times more income than growing rice.

According to Ms. Hien, Dong Thap is the place where lotus is grown the most in Vietnam. Lotus requires less investment in fertilizers and pesticides. Currently, it has become one of the six key industries that Dong Thap has chosen to develop to restructure agriculture.

In some places in Dong Thap, in lotus growing areas, people also raise fish and do experiential tourism to increase profits. Photo: D.T

Many delegates said that Dong Thap lotus tourism is currently limited to eco-tourism with flower viewing spots. Products and services are still relatively simple and somewhat homogenized. Photo: D.T

Dong Thap lotus lives in flooded lowlands. Lotus has strong vitality, sometimes it grows well without care.

To increase income on the same lotus growing area, for many years, in some localities in Dong Thap, people have also raised fish, following the lotus-fish model. In some places, people also do agricultural tourism experiences in lotus fields.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Vu Minh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Thap province, previously, the largest lotus growing areas in Dong Thap province were in Thap Muoi, Cao Lanh, and Chau Thanh districts. Later, new growing areas were formed in districts such as Thanh Binh, Tan Hong, and Tam Nong.

By the end of 2023, the lotus growing area in Dong Thap province will reach 1,838 hectares (exceeding 31.3% of the target by 2025, 1,400 hectares). Currently, 52 lotus varieties have been collected and propagated.

Dong Thap has developed 59 OCOP products from lotus. Of these, there are 30 3-star OCOP products, 28 4-star OCOP products and 1 5-star OCOP product.

In addition, there are potential products from lotus used in cosmetics such as lotus perfume, lotus lipstick; used in daily household items such as lotus soap, lotus incense; used in textiles and fashion such as lotus silk, lotus silk fabric, lotus silk ao dai, bags, etc.

Ms. Vu Kim Hanh - Director of the Center for Business Research and Enterprise Support (BSA) said that in recent times, the lotus industry in Dong Thap has made many remarkable developments. In particular, the province's enterprises have effectively applied many new technologies in exploiting local resources. The evidence is that Dong Thap's lotus products are increasingly rich and diverse in types.

Also at this event, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phuoc Thien happily said: "Dong Thap's lotus industry has developed strongly in recent years. Through processing, Dong Thap's lotus value-added products are known to many friends at home and abroad."

Although Dong Thap has great potential to develop lotus tourism in a unique and competitive direction compared to other localities in the country. However, through data and field inspections, many delegates believe that Dong Thap lotus tourism is currently limited to eco-tourism with flower viewing spots. Products and services are still relatively simple and somewhat homogenized.

In response to the comments of the delegates, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phuoc Thien requested relevant departments and branches to seriously absorb them. After that, it is necessary to review and develop solutions to remove the bottlenecks that the lotus industry is facing.

Source: https://danviet.vn/trong-sen-thu-nhap-gap-3-5-lan-so-voi-trong-lua-nong-dan-dong-thap-mo-rong-dien-tich-sen-len-gan-1900ha-20240520135317922.htm