In the early days of the New Year, spring rains suddenly tumbled in to soothe the scorching sun of the land of the “Fire Pan” Krong Pa (Gia Lai). Flocks of birds sometimes fly around the expansive, green watermelon field, adding to the peaceful image here. In the fields, people are busy pruning the watermelon branches, laughing and joking, as if signaling a rich harvest.

Tet in camp

Covering an area of ​​more than 1,000 hectares, Krong Pa District is considered the capital of melon cultivation in Gia Lai Province. Since this place has a suitable soil climate for growing watermelon, it has attracted farmers from many places to lease land for planting. Where the Binh Dinh form the majority, about 80% are owners of melon fields.

In spring weather, Mr. Nguyen Van Chin, the owner of a 2-hectare watermelon field in Tang Village (Phu Can Township, Krong Pa District), sat in a tent and looked at a distant place with many moods. When Mr. Chin saw me coming to ask me about growing melons, he smiled slightly, “I don’t remember how many watermelons I’ve grown, just remember that I’ve been in this profession for more than 10 years have.”

Mr. Nine from Phu Phong town in Tay Son district (Binh Dinh province) traveled hundreds of kilometers to Krong Pa district to rent land to plant melons. On average, he harvests 2 to 3 watermelons a year from different locations. After just finishing the watermelon harvest in Ia Lau Township, Chu Prong District, in July, Mr. Chin quickly went to Phu Can Township to find land for the second watermelon harvest of the year. After finishing this watermelon harvest, he will move on to his hometown of Binh Dinh to do the 3rd watermelon harvest.

Watermelons are like sweet potatoes, the more you grow them on familiar land, the smaller the fruit and the less tasty the quality. Therefore, melon farmers in Binh Dinh have to go to many places to rent land to grow melons. Then, through acquaintances, they went to the provinces of the central highlands, and there the life of expatriates in the melon fields began.

“The part of people who make melons are wandering, going here and there, the whole year can only use a few days at home,” Mr. Chin confided.

In the melon fields all have the same kind of makeshift houses, the scaffolding is made of bamboo, the roof is covered with canvas. Inside there are 1-2 hammocks for sleeping, more luxurious there is a bed, including a mini gas stove and a basket with dishes. Clothing and household items are thrown into a neat jumble with the life of the Gypsies (a nomadic people).

The melon harvest in Krong Pa district starts from the 11th lunar month, after 3 months of fertilization it is harvest time. At this point the melon begins the fruit selection process. On average, 1 root will have 3 strings and will grow many young melons. As a rule, a root can only select 2 best melons, the rest must be cut off to ensure adequate nutrition and better fruit development.

Mr. Chin said the time for picking the fruit fell during the New Year holiday, so the family had to be on duty and couldn’t gather like many others to welcome spring. After Tet bought candy in his free time, everyone who came to visit was invited to stop by for a cup of tea and talk about the New Year’s story.

While sipping tea, Mr. Chin said: He started falling in love with the country of Krong Pa in 2016. At that time, being introduced to the climate and soil by an acquaintance, he realized that the land here was very suitable for growing watermelons. . Compared to other places, the land on which watermelons are grown in Krong Pa has a much higher yield.

“The business of growing melons is already ingrained in people, you can’t give it up. Also, I have the technique and experience of growing melons, so I decided to stay in this profession,” confided Mr. Chin.

We left Mr. Chin’s camp and moved to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong’s melon field nearby. Mr. Cong (60 years old) from An Nhon City (Binh Dinh) has been growing melons here for 2 seasons. Speaking of seniority growing melons, Mr. Cong has been in the trade for more than 20 years.

Like many other farmers from Binh Dinh who leased land to plant melons, Mr. Cong was not allowed to return to his hometown to celebrate Tet with his family this year because the melon field fell at a very important moment in the “fruit selection”. Alone to celebrate Tet at camp, he bought a keg of beer, signed beef, whoever came to play would welcome him.

“Seeing people going up and down to shop for Tet, to meet up with family, find it sad. But melons pick fruit, can’t walk. I can’t find workers in the days near Tet, so I have to be diligent,” said Mr. Cong.

At the age of sixty, Mr. Cong clearly felt the emptiness in the transition between the old and new years. But to make a living, melon growers have to accept a new year in a foreign country.

For Mr. Cong, farming is not as profitable as growing melons. A melon harvest lasts only 3 months, the investment capital of one hectare is about 160 million VND, if the season is successful and the price is right, the income is 300-400 million VND.

The season of high expectations for the Year of the Rabbit

Watermelons are largely dependent on the Chinese market, so prices are often not fixed. Even at the time of harvest, the price of melons goes up and down day by day, hour by hour, people can only hold their breath to watch.

Last year, which was hit by the Covid-19 epidemic, the Chinese market closed, the price of watermelons fell to less than VND 2,000/kg, traders did not come to buy, many people lost everything.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chin recalled, “Last year, the family planted 2.4 hectares of melons, when the harvest was only 1,500 VND/kg, the family lost more than 200 million VND.”

Ignoring the failure, Mr. Chin continued to “bet” with high hopes for this year’s melon harvest when the Chinese market reopened. Accordingly, many agricultural products were exported in the first days of the year.

Picking up the phone to call traders and hearing that the price of watermelon is rising again, Chin cheerfully shared, “Before Tet, the price was only around 2,000 VND/kg, now the price has risen to 4,500 VND/kg. kg. If this price is maintained, melon growers will only break even because fertilizer prices have increased this year. Hopefully, the price of melons will increase even more in the next few days, right at the time of harvest, so that people can make a profit and make up for the loss of last year’s melon harvest.”

Also in anticipation of the watermelon harvest, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong assessed that this year’s watermelons are of very good quality, with the average yield estimated at around 40 tons/ha. According to the information, at this time (4th day of Tet) the price has increased to 8,000 VND/kg. If this price remains the same until harvest, farmers will earn about 160 million VND/ha.

Also around this time last year, Mr. Cong planted 2.6 ha of melons when the crop fell to just over VND 1,000/kg, his family lost more than VND 200 million.

“This year, the Covid-19 epidemic has been pushed back, the Chinese market has also reopened, hoping watermelon growers like us will have a prosperous harvest,” Cong said.

Mr Vo Ngoc Chau, head of Krong Pa district’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Krong Pa has always been a “good land” for emigrants in Binh Dinh and Phu Yen over the years to seek land for cultivating crops Melons to lease The place only has a large and nutritious land fund, but also has a rich water source for irrigation, which is very suitable for the growth of watermelon plants.

This year’s watermelon harvest in particular is of very good quality with a yield of over 40 tons/ha. The Chinese market reopened immediately after Tet, so the price of watermelons rose to 8,000 VND/kg. With this price, people earn an average profit of about 150 million VND/ha.

“The Chinese market has reopened and the Covid-19 epidemic is no longer there, so people are pinning a lot of hopes on this year’s melon harvest, which will bring a good harvest and a good price. It is known that many traders also came to buy watermelons for households. Households’ biggest wish is for the price of melons to rise after Tet so that melon growers can make profits,” shared Mr. Vo Ngoc Chau, head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Krong Pa District.