Fearing that the top scale cassava fostering would lead to the deforestation and the ground degradation, the Binh Dinh provincial authorities have made a decision to put the cassava cultivation program under the control.
Cassava Field – photo Internet
The stable and high prices of cassava in recent years, taking high profits to farmers–have prompted Binh Dinh’s people to shift to increase cassava rather than other seeds. As a result, the cassava growing area has been increasing rapidly, heading far beyond the targets.
Within the cassava development plan, Binh Dinh would have 10, 000 hectares of cassava growing area by 2020. This consists of 4, four hundred hectares of stable developed area which gives materials to the local starch stock which makes products for export.
The cassava materials growing areas would be positioned in 21 communes of three districts of Phu My, Phu Cat and Tay Son.
However, the whole cassava growing area has reached 13, 000 hectares, or 3, 000 hectares higher than the area projected for 2020.
Cassava growing areas have recently been developed in many areas, including Van Canh, Phu Cat, Phu My, Tay Son, Vinh Thanh and An Lao.
According to the local authorities, it is straightforward and not costly to grow cassava, while the sale is secure. Therefore, growing cassava is the choice of many local people.
Together with the average yield of 25-30 plenty per hectare and the selling price of VND1. 5-1. 7 million every ton, farmers can make a profit of VND30 million per hectare, a high profit level if comparing with the other farm produce.
Yet , the “cassava movement” is harmful the existence of the forest. Local people have a tendency to clear forest land to get site for cassava fields.
Especially, experts have warned that the massive development of cassava in the area may lead to the garden soil degeneration. The current cassava growing land would not be appropriate to other crops.
Consequently, the territorial authorities took drastic steps to minimize the hazards, seeking farmers to strictly follow the land development program and only grow the crops under the blueprints given the green light by the authorities.
Cassava root crop – photo Internet
Maqui berry farmers are also told to grow cassava together with other crops to help upgrade the soil.
In respect to Deputy Director of the Binh Dinh territorial agriculture department Ho Ngoc Hung, cassava will be developed only on suited land, while the land with the slope higher than 15 degrees would be reserved for berry trees, professional trees or forestation to be able to enhance the economical efficiency and help protect environmental surroundings.
Environment friendly cassava, why not?
A fresh method of augmenting cassava in the eco friendly and environment-friendly way has been utilized in Phu Kitty district of Binh Dinh province.
Phan Sy Installed, Deputy Head of the district’s agriculture sub-department said one of the main alternatives in developing sustainable cassava material areas is to optimize the monetary efficiency in the same nurturing area.
A whole great deal of men and women here grow nuts together with cassava, making the gains 2-3 times higher than the alternate peanut-cassava cultivation and 3. 5 times higher than natural cassava cultivation.
Probiotics have been employed by a whole lot of farmers here rather than chemical pesticide, thus allowing to reduce the pests, cut investment costs and increase the soil.
Export cassava
Vietnam exports 3.3 million tonnes of cassava this year, fetching US$1.12 billion, up 5.4% in volume and 2.6% in value. China comes first among importers with market shares of 84.27%. Saka Saka Company has been a supplier frozen cassava (exports over 70 tonnes) and Frozen Cassava Leaves (exports over 100 tonnes) to markets in in Europe, Australia and Australia.
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