Phu Yen farmers supported to consume agricultural products during social distancing

The central province of Phu Yen implemented social distancing under Government’s Directive 16 when many local farming products entered harvesting time.

Seeing difficulties for farmers in transporting and consuming the products, local authorities and organisations connected farmers to consumers.

Nguyen Viet Dung, a farmer in Phong Thai Hamlet, An Linh Commune, Tuy An District said that with 1.2 ha of watermelon, his family estimated to get 15 tonnes of watermelon this year.

Wholesalers offered to pay only VND 2,000 for a kilo of watermelon, Dung said, adding that with such an offer, he would get a loss.

On average, he spent about VND 70 million on a hectare of watermelon, let alone the labour cost that he and his wife took care of the watermelon for nearly two months.

In previous years, during fruit harvesting time, wholesalers from other provinces flocked to orchards to purchase fruits, he said.

However, this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fruit consumption faced difficulties.

Dung said that his family was so lucky to receive supports from the commune Farmers’ Association that helped him to sell watermelon to Co.op supermarket and other enterprises in the province.

“Half a month ago, we did not know where to sell the watermelon. We were so worried that we tended to accept wholesalers’ offer – just VND 2,000 per kg,” he said.

Thanks to the commune farmers’ association, Dung’s watermelon was sold at a better price – VND4,000 per kg, he said, adding that he gave back his investment.

Nguyen Thi Phuong, chairman of the association said that they visited every farm to collect information about harvest time and production.

Harvested farming products were gathered and transported to consumption sites, she said.

The products were sold at reasonable prices so that farmers would not suffer from losses, Phuong said.

“The association’s supports help local farmers maintain production and get incomes when the COVID-19 pandemic is still developing complicated,” Phuong said.

Nguyen Xuan Khiem, chairman of Tuy An District Farmers’ Association said that during the pandemic, farmers had difficulties in consuming their products. In some places, wholesalers offered very low prices for farming products.

To help local farmers, the farmers’ association looked for outputs for local farming products, he said.

After 20 days, they helped farmers in the districts consume more than 70 tonnes of farming products with prices that were about 40 per cent higher than those offered by wholesalers.

Tuy Hoa Co.opmart, Viet Thanh Joint Stocks Company, Tam Duc Fund also helped farmers consume dozens of tonnes of farming products.

Phan Dai Thang, vice chairman of Phu Yen Province Farmers’ Association said that farmers in districts of Tuy An, Phu Hoa and Tuy Hoa City were supported to consume more than 150 tonnes of farming products.

Pham Hoang Hung, director of Tuy Hoa Co.op Supermarket said that during the social distancing, the supermarket prioritised purchasing and consume local farming products.

Of course, only products that meet quality requirements could be sold at the supermarket, he said.

Until now, the supermarket consumed 15 tonnes of watermelon and nearly one ton of papaya.

In the coming time, the supermarket would continue to purchase farmers peanuts, pumpkins and vegetables.